#California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance

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Sustainable Sips During Earth Day and Beyond

Earth Month in April is the time to highlight California, Oregon and South Africa’s sustainable wines. Since California is the world’s fourth-largest wine-producing region, it is a global leader in sustainable wine-growing, with 36 Green Medal-winning wine producers, and certified-sustainable wineries and vineyards. California can proudly tout that 80% 0f the wines made in the Golden State are…

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J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines city of San Jose CA

J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines city of San Jose CA

Nestled in the heart of the city of San Jose, California, lies J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, a family-owned and operated winery that has been crafting exceptional wines for over four decades. The company was founded by Jerry Lohr, who had a vision to create world-class wines that showcase the unique terroir of California's Central Coast. Today, J. Lohr is recognized as one of the most respected and successful wineries in the state, producing a wide range of varietals that have garnered countless awards and critical acclaim.What sets J. Lohr apart from other wineries is its commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. The company has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint, conserve water, and protect wildlife habitats. In fact, J. Lohr was one of the first wineries in California to receive certification from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.1. Award-winning wines crafted locallyJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a world-renowned winery located in the city of San Jose, CA. Known for their award-winning wines crafted locally, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines has been producing high-quality wines for over four decades. Their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility is evident in their vineyard management practices and winemaking techniques. The winery offers a diverse range of varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and many more. With a focus on crafting wines that reflect the unique terroir of the Central Coast region, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines has garnered numerous accolades and awards both domestically and internationally. Wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike will appreciate the exceptional quality and taste of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines' offerings.2. Sustainable vineyard practices emphasizedJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, located in the city of San Jose CA, prides itself on its commitment to sustainable vineyard practices. The company has implemented a variety of practices and technologies aimed at reducing its environmental impact and producing high-quality grapes while minimizing the use of pesticides and chemicals. These practices include the use of cover crops, which help to prevent soil erosion and promote biodiversity, as well as the use of integrated pest management strategies to control pests without the use of harmful chemicals. In addition, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines has invested in renewable energy and water conservation measures, such as solar panels and drip irrigation systems. By emphasizing sustainable vineyard practices, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is not only producing high-quality wines, but also contributing to the preservation of the environment for future generations.3. Beautiful tasting room experience availableJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is proud to offer a beautiful tasting room experience at our location in the city of San Jose, California. Our tasting room features a warm and inviting atmosphere, with knowledgeable staff to guide you through our selection of award-winning wines. Whether you are a wine enthusiast or new to the world of wine, our tasting room provides an exceptional opportunity to sample and learn about our portfolio of wines. Our tasting room is open seven days a week, and we encourage you to come and enjoy the beautiful surroundings as you explore the flavors and aromas of J. Lohr wines. Our commitment to quality and excellence is evident in every aspect of our tasting room experience, and we look forward to sharing it with you.4. Premium varietals grown in regionJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is known for their premium varietals that are grown in the region of San Jose, California. The vineyard has been producing award-winning wines for over four decades and has established itself as a leader in the industry. The grapes are carefully selected and grown using sustainable farming practices, which not only ensures the quality of the grapes but also contributes to the preservation of the environment. The wines produced from these grapes are known for their unique and complex flavors, which are a result of the region's unique climate and soil conditions. J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is committed to producing premium wines that are reflective of the region's terroir and showcases the best of what San Jose has to offer.5. Founder Jerry Lohr's visionJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a well-known wine producer located in the city of San Jose, CA. Founded by Jerry Lohr in 1974, the company has since become one of the most respected and successful wine producers in the United States. Founder Jerry Lohr's vision was to create high-quality, sustainable wines that showcase the unique characteristics of California's Central Coast. This vision has remained at the core of the company's philosophy and has driven its success for nearly five decades. Under Jerry Lohr's leadership, the company has grown to include vineyards in some of California's most renowned wine regions, including Paso Robles, Monterey, and Napa Valley. Today, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is recognized as a leader in sustainable wine production, and its wines continue to receive high praise from wine critics and consumers alike.6. Family-owned winery since 1974J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a family-owned winery that has been producing premium quality wines since 1974. Founded by Jerry Lohr, the winery has been dedicated to producing wines that showcase the unique terroir of California's Central Coast. Over the years, the winery has received numerous accolades for its wines, including being named "Winery of the Year" by Wine Enthusiast in 2010. With a focus on sustainability, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines uses environmentally friendly farming practices, including solar power and water conservation measures. The winery offers a variety of wine tasting experiences and tours, providing visitors with an opportunity to learn about the winemaking process and the history of the winery. With its commitment to quality and sustainability, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a leading winery in the city of San Jose, CA.7. Unique blends and limited releasesJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a renowned winery situated in the city of San Jose, CA, known for producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the Central Coast. The winery offers an extensive range of wines, including unique blends and limited releases that are sure to excite wine connoisseurs. These wines are crafted using grapes from select vineyards and showcase the winemaker's expertise in blending different varietals to create a harmonious and balanced wine. J. Lohr's unique blends and limited releases offer a glimpse into the winery's creativity and innovation, and are highly sought after by wine enthusiasts. These wines are only available in limited quantities, making them a must-try for anyone looking to explore the best of J. Lohr's premium offerings.8. Comprehensive wine club membership optionsJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines offers comprehensive wine club membership options to its customers in the city of San Jose, CA. With a wine club membership, customers can choose from a variety of packages and enjoy exclusive access to limited releases, library wines, and new releases. The membership includes regular shipments of wine to the member's doorstep, along with tasting notes and pairing suggestions from J. Lohr's team of experts. Members also receive discounts on wine purchases and complimentary tastings at the winery's tasting room. Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or a novice just starting to explore the world of wine, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines has a wine club membership option that suits your palate and preferences.9. Collaborations with local restaurantsAs part of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines' commitment to supporting local businesses, we have found success in collaborating with local restaurants in the city of San Jose, California. By partnering with restaurants in the area, we have been able to provide unique tasting experiences for our customers while also showcasing the local culinary scene. These collaborations have allowed us to expand our customer base and increase brand awareness in the community. Furthermore, it has provided an opportunity for us to give back to local businesses that have also been affected by the pandemic. We look forward to continuing these collaborations with local restaurants and supporting the community in every way we can.10. Wine education events held regularlyJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, located in the city of San Jose, CA, hosts a variety of wine education events on a regular basis. These events provide a unique opportunity for wine enthusiasts to expand their knowledge and appreciation of wine. The events cover a wide range of topics, including the history of winemaking, the various types of grapes used in winemaking, the characteristics and flavors of different wines, and the art of pairing wine with food. Participants in these events have the opportunity to taste a variety of J. Lohr wines and learn about the specific winemaking techniques used to create them. These events are led by knowledgeable and experienced professionals who are passionate about sharing their love of wine with others. Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or a novice looking to learn more, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines offers a variety of wine education events that are sure to satisfy your thirst for knowledge.In conclusion, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a leading producer of premium wines with a rich history and exceptional quality. Their commitment to sustainable farming practices and community involvement is a testament to their dedication to not only producing great wines but also being responsible stewards of the environment. The city of San Jose, with its prime location and ideal climate, provides the perfect setting for the vineyard to thrive. With a wide range of varietals to choose from, there is something for every wine enthusiast at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. It's no surprise that J. Lohr continues to be one of the top wineries in the region and a must-visit destination for wine lovers.

For more points of interest in San Jose California , click here Read the full article

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US Sustainable Winegrowing Summit: How To Explain Sustainability To Consumers?

US Sustainable Winegrowing Summit: How To Explain Sustainability To Consumers?

A vast majority of American wines are certified sustainable. But do consumers know what it means? How should the producers explain the idea of being sustainable to their customers? This was one crucial issue raised during the second US Sustainable Winegrowing Summit on April 19 – 21, jointly hosted by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing, Oregon…

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How are vineyards in California following sustainable practices?

How are vineyards in California following sustainable practices?

 California is the fourth-largest wine producing region in the world. With that accolade, wineries have a great responsibility to protect the land and the environment. In this Sustainable, Secure Food blog, Lisa Francioni-Hai explains how the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance makes this happen: Sustainable wine production uses practices that are environmentally sound, socially…

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Achieving recognition for sustainability by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) is not only a matter of employing a few environmentally friendly practices. The honor demands a comprehensive commitment and ingrained philosophy that draws on every individual talent and dedication to work toward the common goal.

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Wine Industry Sustainability Highlighted in Recent Report

Wine Industry Sustainability Highlighted in Recent Report

California producers have been making continuous strides in wine industry sustainability over the years. A recent report from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) shows the vast majority of the state’s wine production is performed sustainably. The 2020 Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Annual Report details the progress made within the industry. “Transparency and…

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California Eco-Friendly Winery Events For Earth Month in April

California Eco-Friendly Winery Events For Earth Month in April

Eco-conscious consumers have many ways to celebrate with sustainably produced wines during California’s 6th Annual Down to Earth Month in April. California wineries will be offering dozens of sustainability-focused events and activities throughout the month from Earth Day wine festivals, farm-to-glass tours and walks with the winemaker to vineyard hikes, VIP eco-tours and more. Created by Wine…

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Survey Of Wine Consumers Says Sustainability Takes Precedence Over Organic

Survey Of Wine Consumers Says Sustainability Takes Precedence Over Organic

SANTA ROSA, CA – MAY 20: A Russian River Valley chardonnay vineyard features a “Sonoma Sustainable” sign as viewed on May 20, 2018, near Santa Rosa, California. Following a relatively dry winter, a series of early spring rainstorms brought with it

Getty Images

Hosted by The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), which boasts wine and grape association partners from New York,…

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New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/science/how-does-your-love-of-wine-contribute-to-climate-change/

How Does Your Love of Wine Contribute to Climate Change?

The exquisite vulnerability of grapes to nuances of weather makes wine both particularly susceptible to climate change and a harbinger of what’s to come for many other agricultural products.

Do wine consumers have a role in encouraging producers to take stronger steps to combat climate change? Some in the wine industry think they do, particularly by throwing their economic support to companies that are already acting decisively.

“The consumer is the key to this,” Adrian Bridge, the chief executive of Taylor Fladgate, the historic port producer, wrote in an email. “Changing our own behavior matters, and asking others to change theirs as well. This does mean buying from companies that are doing a good job and avoiding companies that are not.”

It’s equally important for consumers to make clear to the wine industry that fighting climate change is an urgent issue. Both through their buying decisions and through old-fashioned advocacy — which might include letters and emails to producers, importers and wine publications, as well as direct conversations with wine merchants and restaurateurs — consumers must demand that the wine industry take action.

That industry is simply a microcosm of larger society. Just as politicians have little incentive to address climate change unless voters require it, many wine producers are less inclined to reduce their own carbon footprints unless consumers demonstrate that such steps are important to them.

Some producers are already actively engaged in the fight, whether by changing their agricultural practices, reducing their carbon footprints or carefully limiting their use of water. Others, whether out of a sense of fatalism or greed, have chosen either to wait it out or do nothing, seeing only the expense without the benefits.

But how can anybody distinguish the environmental heroes from the do-nothings? That requires consumers to educate themselves in ways that are not easy, particularly because reliable information is difficult to come by. Many in the wine industry are notoriously opaque about their agriculture, their cellar techniques and their ingredients.

“Consumers are most powerful, in my view, in their role as buyers of products, so they can have an impact if they are able to distinguish between products that are climate-friendly and those that are not,” said Mike Veseth, a retired economics professor who writes the blog The Wine Economist. “The problem is that, unless they do a lot of research, consumers don’t really know the carbon footprint of the wines they purchase and so cannot steer their dollars to those who do best.”

Even knowing the agricultural and cellar practices of a winemaker will not give the full picture.

There are many reasons to prefer producers who work organically or biodynamically in the vineyard. These techniques may be healthier for vineyard workers, for the soil and for the environment in some ways, and they may yield better wine. But adopting these techniques still leaves plenty of wiggle room for dealing — or not dealing — with climate change.

Do producers plow or till the rows between the vines, which releases carbon to the atmosphere? Or do they plant and maintain a cover crop, whether grasses, legumes or something else? An organic or biodynamic grower could do either. But maintaining a cover crop creates a lower carbon footprint.

Do they mow the cover crop? Or simply roll it? Rolling it releases less carbon from the soil.

Using organic compost is good for vineyards. But do producers make it themselves? Or do they buy it and ship it, possibly from a distance?

Do they use electric or hybrid vehicles? Or standard combustion engines?

Are they practicing regenerative agriculture by minimizing use of chemical sprays and acting to promote biodiversity and soil life?

Have they converted to renewable fuels? Do they practice carbon sequestration, in which carbon is captured and stored rather than released into the atmosphere?

Where does their electricity come from? How do they manage their use of water?

These are the many questions that consumers would need to address in judging a producer’s carbon output, and the answers are not easy to find.

Finally, skilled farmers are empathetic and intuitive, sensing what is needed to maintain and encourage a healthy ecosystem. It’s hard for consumers to determine how well vineyards and their carbon footprints are managed. An official certification for organic or biodynamic practices bears little relation to a farmer’s skill or carbon management.

“I don’t believe that there really exists a certifying tool that clearly identifies ‘success’ in carbon sequestration or environmental virtue,” said Randall Grahm, proprietor of Bonny Doon Vineyard in California. “Rather like organized religion, outward piety seems to count for more than internal grace.”

Mr. Bridge, the port producer, has particularly felt the urgency of the climate situation. Aside from reducing the carbon footprint and water consumption at Taylor Fladgate, conserving energy and increasing the biodiversity of its vineyards, Mr. Bridge founded the Porto Protocol, an initiative that aims to inspire companies and individuals to do more to fight climate change.

The organization has held global conferences the last two years in Porto, Portugal, bringing politicians, scientists and wine companies together to discuss climate change and possible solutions.

Right now the Porto Protocol website primarily serves as a clearinghouse of information, offering case studies of companies that have taken steps to confront their own carbon footprints as well as the presentations that were offered at the summits.

At this year’s conference, Roger Boulton, a viticulture and enology professor at the University of California at Davis, urged wine companies to build completely sustainable, zero-carbon facilities from now on. He offered practical methods for achieving the goal, like using solar and wind to stay off the energy grid, and solutions for minimizing water use, particularly important as drought conditions afflict many parts of the wine-producing world.

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it,” Mr. Boulton said, quoting Gandhi.

That applies particularly to consumers, who may feel overwhelmed both by the scale of the problem and the difficulty of getting pertinent information.

Little things do add up. Let’s start with the most tangible item in wine, the glass bottle.

Over the last 20 years, wine marketers have come to believe that the public associates thick, heavy wine bottles with higher-quality wines. The heavier the bottles, the more people would be willing to pay for them: This equation seems to be accepted in marketing departments worldwide, wherever aspirations evolve into pretensions.

The association of a heavy bottle with quality is absurd, of course, just as not so long ago many people believed that deeper-colored, darker-red wines were invariably better and worth a higher price.

In fact, the environmental cost of heavy bottles, from their production to the carbon cost of shipping them, is high. This is something wineries have the power to address. Consumers can judge for themselves.

A study by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, a nonprofit industry group, calculated that packaging, particularly the weight of glass bottles, was one of four key areas in which wineries could do the most to cut their carbon footprint, along with vineyard chemical use, energy use in the vineyard and winery, and transportation of packaged wine.

Some bottles are by necessity heavier than others, like those used for Champagne, which requires stronger glass because the contents are under high pressure. But most wines don’t need the heavy bottles.

So what can consumers do? Choose the wines in lighter bottles, and complain to producers, importers, distributors and merchants about the heavier ones.

How else can you choose better packaging? Patronize bars and restaurants that serve wines-by-the-glass from kegs, which not only can be cleaned and reused but also do a better job of keeping wine fresh than half-empty bottles. Boxed wines are lighter to ship and keep better, too. I would love to see wine producers step up to put better-quality wines in those boxes.

All these measures barely scratch the surface, unfortunately. To really make informed choices, consumers need to know what wineries are doing in the vineyard. It would be great if the Porto Protocol, for example, would publish a checklist of questions that consumers could ask wine producers to help determine accurately what they are doing about climate change. And yes, they are questions that wine writers need to ask, too.

As Gandhi suggested, no step is too small. The least we can do is make climate issues more urgent in our own lives, and to pass that message on to others.

“Things change,” Mr. Bridge said, “when society demands it.”

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New Sustainable Wines to Give as a Gift to Your Eco-Friendly Friends

New Sustainable Wines to Give as a Gift to Your Eco-Friendly Friends

Un article intéressant sur les efforts de vignerons californiens face au défi du développement durable… 2018 saw the first certified sustainable report by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, illustrating the rise in popularity of sustainable products, even in the wine industry. This certification requires wineries to meet a whopping 58 requirements in the vineyard alone. Wineries…

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Intellectual Property In Coffee: Who Really Owns The Story?

Stop me if this sounds familiar.

“This coffee was grown in fertile soil, amid a lush landscape known for producing bright, fruity notes with a hint of chocolate. We believe in sustainability and transparency throughout the supply chain. Our team travels the world to responsibly source the best coffees, taste them, and carefully roast them for you. We partner with producers who practice traditional farming methods, but aren’t afraid to try new techniques.”

If you’ve read enough coffee roasters’ About pages and coffee descriptions, then all of this should sound familiar. This was not quoted from any one company; rather, it was a patchwork of keywords pulled from many companies’ websites.

Every coffee has a story, and anyone in marketing will tell you that stories sell. It’s even easier to sell when consumers recognize certain attributes without preemptive education, such as where the coffee was grown (place-based marketing) or any certification marks (e.g. Fair Trade). If I had told you the coffee was  Jamaican Blue Mountain or Kona, you’d likely have recognized the names and skipped the flavor notes. This is intellectual property (IP) at play.

This type of brand recognition is sometimes driven by a marketing campaign from the country’s government and other times, it’s a result of consumers associating certain characteristics with quality.

There is a wide range of how IP affects producers. It runs the gamut of creating a geographic indication (GI) for a specific region, developing a new variety and protecting it with plant breeders’ rights, and using certification trademarks like Rainforest Alliance. Much like the previous angle examinations of IP in this series, enforcement and laws vary by country.

Enveritas is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a sustainability verification platform for all coffee farmers through data and field assessments. COO and co-founder Carl Cervone echoes what we’ve all heard, that what makes a coffee interesting is the story behind it. Unfortunately, it’s a story often told by the buyer, and it can create a tricky loop. “On one hand, you want to bring the story to the public,” he says. But the story drives recognition and other importers become interested. “But on the other, it’s more difficult to buy it again the next year once you’ve created the buzz.”

Geographic indications (GIs) are one way for producers to collectively pursue IP protection. GIs give producers control over their story, which can be important in an industry that markets their faces and cultural assets without recognizing their original owners. Usually created for indigenous or historical products with distinctive flavor profiles—like Parmesan cheese—successful GI programs require robust organizational and institutional structures. Each country varies in its GI approach with some being government-funded and others producer-run.

Marshall Fuss, a California attorney specializing in the coffee industry, says that GI programs would be a great protection option for regional coffee producers. “The problem is that in so many regions, the farmers are poorer than winegrowers and winemakers, they are even poorer than cheesemakers,” says Fuss. “So it’s been very difficult for them. Personally, I’d be delighted to see them pursue geographical indication protection.”

One research study on IPR’s value in the coffee industry by Daphne Zografos Johnson of the World Intellectual Property Organization observed that consumer purchasing habits can influence a decision to pursue GIs programs and ethical certifications. Johnson wrote, “These emerging tendencies offer producers opportunities to pursue strategies independent of commodity pricing at the exchanges, and to capture value by asking for higher prices for better quality coffee, and more sustainable cultivation and trade practices.”

To examine this further, we can take a look at Indonesia, where the first GI was domestically registered in December 2008. The pilot project of Kintamani Bali Arabica coffee began in 2002 and led the way for the 13 coffee GIs now registered in the country. One 2009 study (PDF), published by Surip Mawardi from the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute, examined the region’s success by looking at the farmgate price.  These prices paid to producers on the farm, excluding any export or transport fees, increased from US$0.80 per kilogram in 2002 to US$3.30 per kilogram in 2008. In addition, infrastructure and the local economy improved.

In a research article published in the Journal of Rural Studies a few months ago on this topic, Dr. Jeffrey Neilson and team argue that producers in Indonesia are not seeing the value of GIs reflected back to them. They wrote, “As a largely technocratic intervention, imported from Europe and implemented as an elite driven project, the GIs are yet to deliver economic benefits to coffee producers in Indonesia.”

So if producers aren’t earning more, then who does GI really benefit?

I posed a question about the Gayo, Indonesia GI program’s success and producer benefits to Hadiyan Ibrahim, General Secretary of Yayasan Masyarakat Perlindungan Kopi Gayo (Gayo Coffee Protection Society Foundation). Ibrahim said that while the quality has improved, the price has only remained more stable with no changes. The most direct benefit to producers has been “the traceability protection to make sure the originality of coffee.”

Indonesia is certainly not a case study for the world, and its GI programs’ successes vary even by region. But one item that GIs protect is the immeasurable sense of ownership and nationalist pride in their work. As Neilson writes, the producing countries’ interests “need to politically engage with the moral legitimacy of roasters and cafe owners to use place names and cultural property without acknowledging producer claims of ownership.” In other words, if roasters truly believe in contributing to a sustainable coffee chain, there’s certainly more work that can be done in telling the right story with the right words.

And while some countries like Indonesia and Vietnam go with a top-down geographic indication approach, other countries prefer something more decentralized. Trademarking a name of a farm or region may prove to be more useful.

Because GIs require characteristics within the region to be similar and that much of the coffee is produced on smallholder farms, Ethiopia opted for trademarking the region names themselves. This strategy received opposition from the National Coffee Association and Starbucks in 2006, contending that the country’s trademark application should be rejected based on how common the region names had become. Starbucks later caved to public pressure.

One study by Heran Sereke-Brhan, published in Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, looked at Ethiopia’s strategy and concluded that it was a success. Sereke-Brhan noted that trademarks like Sidamo, Harar/Harrar, and Yirgacheffe were registered in 30 countries, and over 80 countries had committed to being licensed distributors. The researchers extrapolated the success, predicting it would set a precedence for African cultural goods. They wrote, “Even beyond coffee, the general premise holds that African countries have the capacity to generate intellectual property assets that can then be harnessed to meet development needs.” When the producers and creative makers have control over their “story,” it’s when IP “favorably shifts the position�� to capture an increased portion of retail price for their goods.”

Another IP consideration that directly affects farmers is the development of new plant varieties. “Creating a new coffee variety using traditional methods takes 30 years,” says Hanna Neuschwander, Communications Director of World Coffee Research (WCR). Combined with issues like climate change, diseases like rust, and subsequent labor problems, the work can’t stop. She says, “You have to be doing that work continuously, you can’t wait until the crisis hits to start doing it.” Breeders’ rights give the creator control over how the variety is distributed, but they also require you to make it available for other breeders to use for research.

One of the goals of World Coffee Research is to collaboratively work with countries on variety development. In a search for new coffee varieties filed in the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) database, Neuschwander found only 36 for plant breeders’ rights.

One of the barriers to variety development is that there is no professionalized seed sector for coffee, says Neuschwander. A seed sector, or formalized industry, will give you assurance that the seed you purchased is the correct one and support the cycle of research that is needed to produce the seed. The sector would also work to market their seeds to the farmers that will purchase them. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you have a great variety if farmers don’t have access to it.

There is also currently no protection for seed quality, which can negatively affect farmers. Imagine being told you have a rust-resistant variety and later finding out that that was false. WCR often receives requests for help in identifying varieties. “At least half the time it’s not what they think it is because they just got it from a neighbor or they bought the land and someone told them that’s what it was,” she says. One resource that may become helpful is the World Coffee Research-produced  Variety Catalog, filled with breeder information, agronomics data, and photos.

When asked about what he thought would be the biggest impact of sustaining the industry at the farm level, Enveritas’ Cervone noted that it came down to understanding what’s unique about a place or processing method. “To go beyond large estates, it’ll require a lot of cooperation among farmers,” he says. “It also comes down to producers listening closely to the market to recognize what is unique and what is valuable.”

Neuschwander was more stark, emphasizing a need to invest in farmers and research. She says, “Sometimes people either forget or not have full clarity on the fact that coffee is agriculture and farmers have to have the tools, resources, and knowledge that they need to support the work that they do.”

When we’re far removed from the source, we don’t think about things like plant breeders’ rights or geographic indications. Naming the region is something everyone does. But if you’re using a story to sell your coffee without acknowledging any rights of farmers, are you really supporting the coffee value chain or are you just participating in a colonialist structure?

Intellectual property is varied and complicated. Cafe designs, logos, and concepts are easily duplicated across international borders, often leaving the original creator helpless to pursue. Social media access has only fueled faster copycat manufacturers. For producers, their stories and customs are often retold into bite-sized, glorified material. And for those who have the power and resources, our job in the industry is to recognize who owns the story rights and reallocate some of that power to them. We can surely refocus some of our energy from developing another brewer to truly sustaining the industry for the next generation.

Jenn Chen (@TheJennChen) is a San Francisco–based coffee marketer, writer, and photographer. Read more Jenn Chen on Sprudge.

The post Intellectual Property In Coffee: Who Really Owns The Story? appeared first on Sprudge.

Intellectual Property In Coffee: Who Really Owns The Story? published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

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Happy Earth Day From J. Lohr

Earth Day is right around the corner. But when you’re in the business of growing wine grapes, every day is “Earth Day.” 

Conscientious winegrowing is more than just a catchphrase at J. Lohr. We helped “write the book” on vineyard sustainability. In 2010, we became one of the first wineries in the state to earn the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing certification. “Thinking green” is part of our company culture. From Steve Lohr (currently serving as President of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance) to every vineyard and winery associate, we know that quality and reputation begins with stewardship of the land. You can learn more about J. Lohr’s sustainability programs and efforts here.

John Pierini, one of our J. Lohr Vineyard Managers, took the time to share with us his thoughts on a very green and growing part of sustainability – how we use cover crops…   

“Sometimes we plant more than just grapevines in vineyards. “Cover crops” are often planted to cover the ground in the middle space between the vine rows. It is a crop that is not typically harvested, but still requires careful management. Winegrowers are able to choose the crop that best suits the needs for each particular vineyard block.  Some cover crops add nutritional value to the grapes and improve soil tilth. Some are planted to prevent soil erosion and dust. And others are just there to look pretty.” 

“Here at J. Lohr, we incorporate a few different cover cropping strategies tailored to our many different blocks, varietals, and clones. The strategies vary by the age of the vines.  On our young vines, we typically plant a highly leguminous mix every row or every other row – to supply a little extra nitrogen while the new vines grow, to help them fill the trellis. On our more developed vineyards, the extra nitrogen is not desired. So we will select an annual grass mix that will out-compete many of our problematic weeds and use very little water in its growth cycle. If managed correctly, this grass will last 5 to 10 years without replanting. Leaving the grasses undisturbed season-to-season minimizes our “carbon footprint” with less tractor passes, less fuel used, less soil compaction – all tenants of an overall “sustainable” mind set. We try to not disrupt the soil too much with tilling and disking to encourage water infiltration and retention, while also reducing dust in the vineyard.”

Spring 2017 – a mix of barley and crimson clover in one of our younger vineyards. 

Vineyard Manager John Pierini has been with J. Lohr since 2010. He graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Wine & Viticulture; he oversees the J. Lohr Home Ranch and westside Gean estate. John lives in Paso Robles with wife Caitlyn and sons John and Dominic.

[delfinamaggiousa]

How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications

Discerning consumers are increasingly aware of what they put into their bodies, and concerned about the ethical and sustainable ramifications of products they choose to buy. In the food and drinks space, this is now a mainstream tendency, which started with food, then moved into wine.

These developments are a positive step for the environment, but the rush to certify has also led to confusion among wine drinkers, who are confronted by dozens of logos, stickers, and labels on the bottles they pick up in a wine shop.

But some progress is better than none, according to Sophie Drucker, winegrower and vineyard manager of DeLoach Vineyards in California. “If you want to support wineries that are doing something sustainable, start with wineries that are talking about it and have those certifications,” she says.

But there’s no need to panic. VinePair assembled a quick and dirty explainer of the most common labels to know, with testimonials from winemakers about their experiences.

Organic

In the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program certifies organic wines. The core tenet is a complete ban on synthetic fertilizers. To call your wine organic, other materials that go into it, such as commercial yeast, must also be certified organic. If a vintner is only organic in the vineyard, they may use the label “made with organically grown grapes.”

Added sulfites are not allowed in organic wines in the States, but in Europe for example, a certain amount is allowed. Organic winemaking has gained devoted advocates worldwide who believe the benefits of this practice are far-reaching.

“I work with producers who have gone organic because they’ve understood that they will be able to increase their quality level, that they will have a larger expression of terroir, and that they will be able to have a more constant production,” says Jan Kux, the owner of Switzerland-based Natural Organic Agriculture (NOA), who advises European vintners such as Pratsch in Austria.

Biodynamic

Biodynamic farming is, essentially, one step (or several) further along the complexity spectrum than organic. Biodynamic viticulture is done organically but also revolves around an astronomy calendar that dictates farming actions, such as when to prune, water, and pick. It also utilizes various homemade compost-based fertilizers.

At DeLoach, Drucker says the 16.5-acre vineyard was replanted in 2006 and rested for three years to bring back ecological diversity. It was then certified organic in 2009 and certified Demeter, the leading biodynamic stamp of approval, in 2010. All of this additional process comes at a premium. DeLoach’s vineyard-designate, biodynamic wines that come from the estate are priced higher than the bottlings with grapes they source through non-Demeter partners.

SIP Certified

Hahn Family Wines was part of the pilot program for Sustainability in Practice (SIP) back in 2008, a certification that started in California and recently expanded to other spots in the U.S.

“It was a game changer for us,” says Patrick Headley, Hahn’s director of viticulture. “It’s not everyday that you find a program that’s an umbrella that hits all these different areas.”

SIP adopts planet-friendly principles like water management, energy efficiency, and healthy vineyards. Some chemicals are permitted, such as copper and glyphosate, but are heavily restricted. SIP is also equally preoccupied with people, making sure its winery members are treating employees ethically and providing them with things like competitive wages and medical insurance.

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW)

The CCSW label, created by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance in 2010, also has broader concerns than just farming.

“Organic is great,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications at CCSW-certified Honig Vineyard & Winery in California. “But it says nothing about your water efficiency, your energy efficiency, your recycling practices, the weight of your glass.” CCSW also has requirements for the treatment of employees.

CCSW has a “red” and “yellow” list for chemicals. “Red” materials cannot be used after year two, and wineries must provide written justification for why it is necessary for them to use “yellow” products.

Honig says the certification adds a certain credibility that was lacking before, even though her winery and others were already making efforts to be sustainable. This is an investment, of course. When the winery put in solar panels in 2006, Honig estimates it cost $1 million out of pocket. But because they provide the facility with free power, she says the return on investment was eight to 10 years, while the lifespan of a solar panel is 25 years.

“Part of sustainability is staying in business,” she says. “If you have a business that’s not sustainable, that’s not going to work.”

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED is a unique certification because it focuses on the “green” design and architecture of a facility, as opposed to vineyards or business practices. It’s most often used for residential buildings but has filtered through the commercial space as well. For Nancy Irelan at Red Tail Ridge Winery in the Finger Lakes, building her LEED-certified winery in 2009 was not easy but well worth it.

“It was very difficult because no one had implemented LEED certification in the wine industry in upstate New York,” she says. “There really wasn’t a knowledge base here, and finding the properly certified architects and contractors was a struggle.”

As small business owners, Irelan and her husband, Michael Schnelle, were most concerned with energy savings and using alternative energy to improve their bottom line. “We actually paid back on that investment in two and a half years. That’s phenomenal,” she says.

B Corporation

B Corporation is another certification that evaluates both social and environmental standards. It’s one of the most comprehensive programs out there, and while it’s not just limited to the wine industry, many vintners have joined it.

“We really agreed with the tenets of stakeholder management and sustainability, and leaving places better than you found them,” says Keith Scott, director of marketing at A to Z Wineworks, which became the first B Corp winery in Oregon in 2014. “I think for shoppers who don’t want to become an expert on every last certification, it’s a good overall stamp.”

Symington Family Estates in Portugal became a B Corp in 2019, the first winery in Portugal to do so. “B Corp is appealing because it’s very broad, it’s not just certifying your farming practices,” says associate director Rob Symington, who’s in charge of the company’s sustainability program. “It’s a company-wide certification covering social and environmental factors and core business practices.”

Symington also likes that B Corp is “a roadmap for continuous improvement.” Each time a business recertifies, there are higher standards to achieve. Another benefit both Scott and Symington mention is that the fee for certification is commensurate with a company’s profits, making it attainable for even small wineries with slim margins.

The article How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/sustainable-organic-natural-wine-certifications-guide/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/03/05/how-to-make-sense-of-sustainable-wine-certifications/

[johnboothus]

How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications

Discerning consumers are increasingly aware of what they put into their bodies, and concerned about the ethical and sustainable ramifications of products they choose to buy. In the food and drinks space, this is now a mainstream tendency, which started with food, then moved into wine.

These developments are a positive step for the environment, but the rush to certify has also led to confusion among wine drinkers, who are confronted by dozens of logos, stickers, and labels on the bottles they pick up in a wine shop.

But some progress is better than none, according to Sophie Drucker, winegrower and vineyard manager of DeLoach Vineyards in California. “If you want to support wineries that are doing something sustainable, start with wineries that are talking about it and have those certifications,” she says.

But there’s no need to panic. VinePair assembled a quick and dirty explainer of the most common labels to know, with testimonials from winemakers about their experiences.

Organic

In the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program certifies organic wines. The core tenet is a complete ban on synthetic fertilizers. To call your wine organic, other materials that go into it, such as commercial yeast, must also be certified organic. If a vintner is only organic in the vineyard, they may use the label “made with organically grown grapes.”

Added sulfites are not allowed in organic wines in the States, but in Europe for example, a certain amount is allowed. Organic winemaking has gained devoted advocates worldwide who believe the benefits of this practice are far-reaching.

“I work with producers who have gone organic because they’ve understood that they will be able to increase their quality level, that they will have a larger expression of terroir, and that they will be able to have a more constant production,” says Jan Kux, the owner of Switzerland-based Natural Organic Agriculture (NOA), who advises European vintners such as Pratsch in Austria.

Biodynamic

Biodynamic farming is, essentially, one step (or several) further along the complexity spectrum than organic. Biodynamic viticulture is done organically but also revolves around an astronomy calendar that dictates farming actions, such as when to prune, water, and pick. It also utilizes various homemade compost-based fertilizers.

At DeLoach, Drucker says the 16.5-acre vineyard was replanted in 2006 and rested for three years to bring back ecological diversity. It was then certified organic in 2009 and certified Demeter, the leading biodynamic stamp of approval, in 2010. All of this additional process comes at a premium. DeLoach’s vineyard-designate, biodynamic wines that come from the estate are priced higher than the bottlings with grapes they source through non-Demeter partners.

SIP Certified

Hahn Family Wines was part of the pilot program for Sustainability in Practice (SIP) back in 2008, a certification that started in California and recently expanded to other spots in the U.S.

“It was a game changer for us,” says Patrick Headley, Hahn’s director of viticulture. “It’s not everyday that you find a program that’s an umbrella that hits all these different areas.”

SIP adopts planet-friendly principles like water management, energy efficiency, and healthy vineyards. Some chemicals are permitted, such as copper and glyphosate, but are heavily restricted. SIP is also equally preoccupied with people, making sure its winery members are treating employees ethically and providing them with things like competitive wages and medical insurance.

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW)

The CCSW label, created by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance in 2010, also has broader concerns than just farming.

“Organic is great,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications at CCSW-certified Honig Vineyard & Winery in California. “But it says nothing about your water efficiency, your energy efficiency, your recycling practices, the weight of your glass.” CCSW also has requirements for the treatment of employees.

CCSW has a “red” and “yellow” list for chemicals. “Red” materials cannot be used after year two, and wineries must provide written justification for why it is necessary for them to use “yellow” products.

Honig says the certification adds a certain credibility that was lacking before, even though her winery and others were already making efforts to be sustainable. This is an investment, of course. When the winery put in solar panels in 2006, Honig estimates it cost $1 million out of pocket. But because they provide the facility with free power, she says the return on investment was eight to 10 years, while the lifespan of a solar panel is 25 years.

“Part of sustainability is staying in business,” she says. “If you have a business that’s not sustainable, that’s not going to work.”

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED is a unique certification because it focuses on the “green” design and architecture of a facility, as opposed to vineyards or business practices. It’s most often used for residential buildings but has filtered through the commercial space as well. For Nancy Irelan at Red Tail Ridge Winery in the Finger Lakes, building her LEED-certified winery in 2009 was not easy but well worth it.

“It was very difficult because no one had implemented LEED certification in the wine industry in upstate New York,” she says. “There really wasn’t a knowledge base here, and finding the properly certified architects and contractors was a struggle.”

As small business owners, Irelan and her husband, Michael Schnelle, were most concerned with energy savings and using alternative energy to improve their bottom line. “We actually paid back on that investment in two and a half years. That’s phenomenal,” she says.

B Corporation

B Corporation is another certification that evaluates both social and environmental standards. It’s one of the most comprehensive programs out there, and while it’s not just limited to the wine industry, many vintners have joined it.

“We really agreed with the tenets of stakeholder management and sustainability, and leaving places better than you found them,” says Keith Scott, director of marketing at A to Z Wineworks, which became the first B Corp winery in Oregon in 2014. “I think for shoppers who don’t want to become an expert on every last certification, it’s a good overall stamp.”

Symington Family Estates in Portugal became a B Corp in 2019, the first winery in Portugal to do so. “B Corp is appealing because it’s very broad, it’s not just certifying your farming practices,” says associate director Rob Symington, who’s in charge of the company’s sustainability program. “It’s a company-wide certification covering social and environmental factors and core business practices.”

Symington also likes that B Corp is “a roadmap for continuous improvement.” Each time a business recertifies, there are higher standards to achieve. Another benefit both Scott and Symington mention is that the fee for certification is commensurate with a company’s profits, making it attainable for even small wineries with slim margins.

The article How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/sustainable-organic-natural-wine-certifications-guide/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-sense-of-sustainable-wine-certifications

[isaiahrippinus]

How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications

Discerning consumers are increasingly aware of what they put into their bodies, and concerned about the ethical and sustainable ramifications of products they choose to buy. In the food and drinks space, this is now a mainstream tendency, which started with food, then moved into wine.

These developments are a positive step for the environment, but the rush to certify has also led to confusion among wine drinkers, who are confronted by dozens of logos, stickers, and labels on the bottles they pick up in a wine shop.

But some progress is better than none, according to Sophie Drucker, winegrower and vineyard manager of DeLoach Vineyards in California. “If you want to support wineries that are doing something sustainable, start with wineries that are talking about it and have those certifications,” she says.

But there’s no need to panic. VinePair assembled a quick and dirty explainer of the most common labels to know, with testimonials from winemakers about their experiences.

Organic

In the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program certifies organic wines. The core tenet is a complete ban on synthetic fertilizers. To call your wine organic, other materials that go into it, such as commercial yeast, must also be certified organic. If a vintner is only organic in the vineyard, they may use the label “made with organically grown grapes.”

Added sulfites are not allowed in organic wines in the States, but in Europe for example, a certain amount is allowed. Organic winemaking has gained devoted advocates worldwide who believe the benefits of this practice are far-reaching.

“I work with producers who have gone organic because they’ve understood that they will be able to increase their quality level, that they will have a larger expression of terroir, and that they will be able to have a more constant production,” says Jan Kux, the owner of Switzerland-based Natural Organic Agriculture (NOA), who advises European vintners such as Pratsch in Austria.

Biodynamic

Biodynamic farming is, essentially, one step (or several) further along the complexity spectrum than organic. Biodynamic viticulture is done organically but also revolves around an astronomy calendar that dictates farming actions, such as when to prune, water, and pick. It also utilizes various homemade compost-based fertilizers.

At DeLoach, Drucker says the 16.5-acre vineyard was replanted in 2006 and rested for three years to bring back ecological diversity. It was then certified organic in 2009 and certified Demeter, the leading biodynamic stamp of approval, in 2010. All of this additional process comes at a premium. DeLoach’s vineyard-designate, biodynamic wines that come from the estate are priced higher than the bottlings with grapes they source through non-Demeter partners.

SIP Certified

Hahn Family Wines was part of the pilot program for Sustainability in Practice (SIP) back in 2008, a certification that started in California and recently expanded to other spots in the U.S.

“It was a game changer for us,” says Patrick Headley, Hahn’s director of viticulture. “It’s not everyday that you find a program that’s an umbrella that hits all these different areas.”

SIP adopts planet-friendly principles like water management, energy efficiency, and healthy vineyards. Some chemicals are permitted, such as copper and glyphosate, but are heavily restricted. SIP is also equally preoccupied with people, making sure its winery members are treating employees ethically and providing them with things like competitive wages and medical insurance.

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW)

The CCSW label, created by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance in 2010, also has broader concerns than just farming.

“Organic is great,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications at CCSW-certified Honig Vineyard & Winery in California. “But it says nothing about your water efficiency, your energy efficiency, your recycling practices, the weight of your glass.” CCSW also has requirements for the treatment of employees.

CCSW has a “red” and “yellow” list for chemicals. “Red” materials cannot be used after year two, and wineries must provide written justification for why it is necessary for them to use “yellow” products.

Honig says the certification adds a certain credibility that was lacking before, even though her winery and others were already making efforts to be sustainable. This is an investment, of course. When the winery put in solar panels in 2006, Honig estimates it cost $1 million out of pocket. But because they provide the facility with free power, she says the return on investment was eight to 10 years, while the lifespan of a solar panel is 25 years.

“Part of sustainability is staying in business,” she says. “If you have a business that’s not sustainable, that’s not going to work.”

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED is a unique certification because it focuses on the “green” design and architecture of a facility, as opposed to vineyards or business practices. It’s most often used for residential buildings but has filtered through the commercial space as well. For Nancy Irelan at Red Tail Ridge Winery in the Finger Lakes, building her LEED-certified winery in 2009 was not easy but well worth it.

“It was very difficult because no one had implemented LEED certification in the wine industry in upstate New York,” she says. “There really wasn’t a knowledge base here, and finding the properly certified architects and contractors was a struggle.”

As small business owners, Irelan and her husband, Michael Schnelle, were most concerned with energy savings and using alternative energy to improve their bottom line. “We actually paid back on that investment in two and a half years. That’s phenomenal,” she says.

B Corporation

B Corporation is another certification that evaluates both social and environmental standards. It’s one of the most comprehensive programs out there, and while it’s not just limited to the wine industry, many vintners have joined it.

“We really agreed with the tenets of stakeholder management and sustainability, and leaving places better than you found them,” says Keith Scott, director of marketing at A to Z Wineworks, which became the first B Corp winery in Oregon in 2014. “I think for shoppers who don’t want to become an expert on every last certification, it’s a good overall stamp.”

Symington Family Estates in Portugal became a B Corp in 2019, the first winery in Portugal to do so. “B Corp is appealing because it’s very broad, it’s not just certifying your farming practices,” says associate director Rob Symington, who’s in charge of the company’s sustainability program. “It’s a company-wide certification covering social and environmental factors and core business practices.”

Symington also likes that B Corp is “a roadmap for continuous improvement.” Each time a business recertifies, there are higher standards to achieve. Another benefit both Scott and Symington mention is that the fee for certification is commensurate with a company’s profits, making it attainable for even small wineries with slim margins.

The article How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/sustainable-organic-natural-wine-certifications-guide/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/611754792896872448

[wineanddinosaur]

How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications

Discerning consumers are increasingly aware of what they put into their bodies, and concerned about the ethical and sustainable ramifications of products they choose to buy. In the food and drinks space, this is now a mainstream tendency, which started with food, then moved into wine.

These developments are a positive step for the environment, but the rush to certify has also led to confusion among wine drinkers, who are confronted by dozens of logos, stickers, and labels on the bottles they pick up in a wine shop.

But some progress is better than none, according to Sophie Drucker, winegrower and vineyard manager of DeLoach Vineyards in California. “If you want to support wineries that are doing something sustainable, start with wineries that are talking about it and have those certifications,” she says.

But there’s no need to panic. VinePair assembled a quick and dirty explainer of the most common labels to know, with testimonials from winemakers about their experiences.

Organic

In the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program certifies organic wines. The core tenet is a complete ban on synthetic fertilizers. To call your wine organic, other materials that go into it, such as commercial yeast, must also be certified organic. If a vintner is only organic in the vineyard, they may use the label “made with organically grown grapes.”

Added sulfites are not allowed in organic wines in the States, but in Europe for example, a certain amount is allowed. Organic winemaking has gained devoted advocates worldwide who believe the benefits of this practice are far-reaching.

“I work with producers who have gone organic because they’ve understood that they will be able to increase their quality level, that they will have a larger expression of terroir, and that they will be able to have a more constant production,” says Jan Kux, the owner of Switzerland-based Natural Organic Agriculture (NOA), who advises European vintners such as Pratsch in Austria.

Biodynamic

Biodynamic farming is, essentially, one step (or several) further along the complexity spectrum than organic. Biodynamic viticulture is done organically but also revolves around an astronomy calendar that dictates farming actions, such as when to prune, water, and pick. It also utilizes various homemade compost-based fertilizers.

At DeLoach, Drucker says the 16.5-acre vineyard was replanted in 2006 and rested for three years to bring back ecological diversity. It was then certified organic in 2009 and certified Demeter, the leading biodynamic stamp of approval, in 2010. All of this additional process comes at a premium. DeLoach’s vineyard-designate, biodynamic wines that come from the estate are priced higher than the bottlings with grapes they source through non-Demeter partners.

SIP Certified

Hahn Family Wines was part of the pilot program for Sustainability in Practice (SIP) back in 2008, a certification that started in California and recently expanded to other spots in the U.S.

“It was a game changer for us,” says Patrick Headley, Hahn’s director of viticulture. “It’s not everyday that you find a program that’s an umbrella that hits all these different areas.”

SIP adopts planet-friendly principles like water management, energy efficiency, and healthy vineyards. Some chemicals are permitted, such as copper and glyphosate, but are heavily restricted. SIP is also equally preoccupied with people, making sure its winery members are treating employees ethically and providing them with things like competitive wages and medical insurance.

Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW)

The CCSW label, created by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance in 2010, also has broader concerns than just farming.

“Organic is great,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications at CCSW-certified Honig Vineyard & Winery in California. “But it says nothing about your water efficiency, your energy efficiency, your recycling practices, the weight of your glass.” CCSW also has requirements for the treatment of employees.

CCSW has a “red” and “yellow” list for chemicals. “Red” materials cannot be used after year two, and wineries must provide written justification for why it is necessary for them to use “yellow” products.

Honig says the certification adds a certain credibility that was lacking before, even though her winery and others were already making efforts to be sustainable. This is an investment, of course. When the winery put in solar panels in 2006, Honig estimates it cost $1 million out of pocket. But because they provide the facility with free power, she says the return on investment was eight to 10 years, while the lifespan of a solar panel is 25 years.

“Part of sustainability is staying in business,” she says. “If you have a business that’s not sustainable, that’s not going to work.”

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED is a unique certification because it focuses on the “green” design and architecture of a facility, as opposed to vineyards or business practices. It’s most often used for residential buildings but has filtered through the commercial space as well. For Nancy Irelan at Red Tail Ridge Winery in the Finger Lakes, building her LEED-certified winery in 2009 was not easy but well worth it.

“It was very difficult because no one had implemented LEED certification in the wine industry in upstate New York,” she says. “There really wasn’t a knowledge base here, and finding the properly certified architects and contractors was a struggle.”

As small business owners, Irelan and her husband, Michael Schnelle, were most concerned with energy savings and using alternative energy to improve their bottom line. “We actually paid back on that investment in two and a half years. That’s phenomenal,” she says.

B Corporation

B Corporation is another certification that evaluates both social and environmental standards. It’s one of the most comprehensive programs out there, and while it’s not just limited to the wine industry, many vintners have joined it.

“We really agreed with the tenets of stakeholder management and sustainability, and leaving places better than you found them,” says Keith Scott, director of marketing at A to Z Wineworks, which became the first B Corp winery in Oregon in 2014. “I think for shoppers who don’t want to become an expert on every last certification, it’s a good overall stamp.”

Symington Family Estates in Portugal became a B Corp in 2019, the first winery in Portugal to do so. “B Corp is appealing because it’s very broad, it’s not just certifying your farming practices,” says associate director Rob Symington, who’s in charge of the company’s sustainability program. “It’s a company-wide certification covering social and environmental factors and core business practices.”

Symington also likes that B Corp is “a roadmap for continuous improvement.” Each time a business recertifies, there are higher standards to achieve. Another benefit both Scott and Symington mention is that the fee for certification is commensurate with a company’s profits, making it attainable for even small wineries with slim margins.

The article How to Make Sense of Sustainable Wine Certifications appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/sustainable-organic-natural-wine-certifications-guide/