The easiest thing to remember is that a sustainable wine is produced from grapes grown using sustainable farming practices, which are designed to preserve, protect and enhance the environment. It means the wine in your glass came from a healthy vineyard, from a winery that cares not only about its farming practices, but about its community and the people who work there. You can learn much more by visiting the Central Coast Vineyard team website, where the standards for sustaining farming are provided in great detail. Go to www.vineyardteam.org Oh, there’s one more thing. When you find a sustainable wine, you’ve also found a winery that cares about you.
When a winery produces wine meeting the Sustainability In Practice (SIP)™ standards, independent auditors verify and confirm that all practices have met the requirements, allowing the winery to use the SIP™ seal. You’ll find it on both the front and back labels of selected wines and you’ll often see the seal when you’re visiting wineries, in signs at the tasting room on near a SIP™ certified vineyard. You may even find that your retailer identifies SIP™ wines on the shelves.
SIP™ certified wines are sold nationwide, in all the usual places. If you find a favorite producer, you may be able to ask them where their wines are sold. Some wineries can sell directly through their tasting rooms and wine clubs, depending on local regulations. Today, there are a variety of wines offered by Baileyana-Tangent of Edna Valley, Pomar Junction Vineyards and Winery of Templeton, D’Anbino Vineyards & Cellars, Robert Hall Winery and Halter Ranch, all from Paso Robles. Additional wineries are qualifying to use the SIP™ seal, and you can follow their progress by becoming a SIP™ fan at Facebook or following us on Twitter.
That’s a very good idea, and most retailers like to hear from their customers so they can offer you the products you’d like to buy. Retailers will contact their local distributor, or they can contact our SIP™ team at 805.369.2288 or info@sipthegoodlife.org for additional assistance.
Wineries are finding that both consumers and retailers are asking about sustainable practices, so interest in the SIP™ program has never been higher. Right now several wines from the 2008 and 2009 vintage are being evaluated for the program, and additional vineyards are expected to join the program in 2010. The best way to find new SIP™ wines is to visit this website regularly or become a Facebook fan to stay updated on the latest SIP™ news.
No, SIP™ certified wines can be crafted from vineyards located anywhere in California. It is true that wineries along California’s famed Central Coast, from Monterey to Santa Barbara, do have a long history of leadership in operating sustainably. To learn more, visit the Central Coast Vineyard Team at www.vineyardteam.org.
Would you be surprised if we said the best way to find out was to taste SIP™ certified wines for yourself and decide? Didn’t think so. Wine is a very personal, subjective experience. You may like a wine that your friend simply doesn’t care for. Frankly, there is nothing about sustainable wine that guarantees it will taste better. BUT, and it’s a big but, it’s often said that great wine is made in the vineyard, and SIP™ certified wines come from vineyards that have received great care and attention. You make the call.
Generally, SIP™ certified wines reflect an approach that is broader and more involved than simply farming organically. Each has unique goals:
Sustainability In Practice (SIP)™
Meet today’s needs without compromising the needs of future generations including environmental health, economic viability and social equity.
USDA-National Organic Program
Optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people.
Biodynamic™
Create and maintain a unique, self-sustained farming ecosystem.
Still confused? Just remember this. If you see the SIP™ seal, or the seals from organizations like the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) or Demeter Certified Biodynamic™ each one indicates that the wine has taken extra care to responsibly farm and care for the environment. The broadest, most comprehensive standards covering a variety of issues, are those found in the SIP™ program.
Glad you noticed. You may have heard that over-fishing threatens the very survival of some types of fish. By downloading a pocket guide to sustainable seafood from Seafood Watch, you can carefully consider your choices when shopping in a grocery store or dining in a restaurant. Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium site for the most recent updated guide and additional information.
And guess what wines go best with sustainable seafood? Of course, SIP™ certified sustainable wines. In the same way you care about preserving and protecting our oceans and seafood, selecting sustainable wines shows you care about other aspects of living sustainably. The choices go hand in hand or, er, glass and fork.
If you’re spending time on our website, you’ve answered the question already. SIP™ certification standards have been reviewed by more than 30 state, federal, environmental, social, agricultural and university experts and outside auditors certify results and assure that program participants are, well, doing exactly what they promise.
You may still have questions. We probably have answers. Contact us and we’ll do our best to share whatever information might help provide additional insights.
