At a press conference held in San Francisco, The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) revealed the introduction of a statewide certification program which will provide third-party verification of a winery or vineyard’s observance to a "process of continuous improvement" in the adoption and implementation of sustainable winegrowing practices.
The seventeen California companies who participated in a pilot program to test the certification requirements and offer feedback are: Clos LaChance Wines; Concannon Vineyard/Concannon Winery; Constellation Wines U.S.; Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards; Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines; Fetzer Vineyards/Bonterra Vineyards; E. & J. Gallo Winery; Goldeneye Winery; The Hess Collection; Honig Vineyard & Winery; J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; Kunde Family Estate; Meridian Vineyards/Taz Vineyards; Monterey Pacific, Inc.; Roberts Vineyard Services; Rodney Strong Wine Estates; and Vino Farms.
Certified Pilot Program for Vineyard and Winery Operations
The certification program was established by the California Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers. It is the first statewide program available to both wineries and was three years in the making.
Open to all California wineries and vineyards as a voluntary option, CSWA’s new program, Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing, requires applicants to meet 58 prerequisite criteria to be eligible for the program, assess winery and/or vineyard operations, create and implement an annual action plan and show improvement over time.
Prerequisite Practices for Wineries and Vineyards
Some of the prerequisites include practices that protect air and water quality, conserve water, promote energy efficiency and reduced pesticide use, preserve ecosystems and animal habitats.
Program Adopted by Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards of Saratoga
Cooper-Garrod, a small 3,000 case estate winery with 28 acres of vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, has participated in the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program since its inception. According to owner Bill Cooper, “It provides best management practices (BMPs) in 227 different areas to help us improve the ecological, social and economic aspects of our grape growing and wine production.”
He said that in the two to three hours it took to self-assess against these BMPs, they also identified areas where changes could improve operations. For a small operation, this means they have the benefit of the best minds in the business and don’t have to rediscover the wheel to find areas for improvement.
He adds that the new program, takes this self-improvement program one step further by verifying continual improvement. Their self-assessment met minimum standards in 58 of the 227 areas and they also identified one or more areas for improvement in the following year. Next, a third-party auditor verified the self-assessment scores and goals.
The next year, he says, they repeated the process by confirming conformation of meeting goals and identifying one or more new areas for self-improvement. This year, they have action plans that address Pierce’s Disease, solid waste management, and hazardous materials record-keeping, among others.
Commitment to Sustainability by California Wine Community
CSWA Board Chairman Chris Savage, Senior Director of Environmental Affairs at E. & J. Gallo Winery said, “When you discuss sustainability within the California wine community, it is not just a statement of a program but an imbedded philosophy that we live by each and every day.”
He adds that it is the commitment to this philosophy and the positive impact it has on the wine business that will ensure the continued growth of the California wine industry long into the future.
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