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Certified Sustainable Vineyards & Sustainable Wines
The Sustainability in Practice (SIP)™ Certification program provides a way for vineyard’s to verify their attention to integrated farming practices through a commitment to environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees, and economic stability. Developed by the CCVT, a non-profit dedicated to sustainable winegrowing since 1994, this program represents one extension of the group’s many innovative programs.
Quality Commitment
SIP™ Certification speaks to the farmer’s commitment to protecting both natural and human resources. Growers and winemakers recognize that the care in which the fruit is grown represents an important layer of a quality product.
Whole Farm System
The rules, otherwise known as the Standards, address many inter-related elements of the whole farm system. Habitat conservation, energy efficiency, pest management, water conservation, economic stability, and human resources are just a few themes covered in the program. The Standards provide a comprehensive look at the farm in its entirety.
Certification
After four years of development, the Standards were independently peer reviewed by over 30 environmental, regulatory, and academic representatives. In order to qualify for certification, growers must meet a high threshold and have their practices verified through an in-depth records and on-site audit by an accredited independent inspector. A separate Certification Advisory Committee then determines eligibility based on "blinded" auditor reports.
Values & Trust
The farmers and wineries show their dedication by practicing sustainable farming methods every day in the vineyard and investing in certification. Wine lovers interested in showing their dedication to these shared values can do so by choosing SIP™ Certified wines. The SIP™ Certified seal assures that the farmer has completed a process verifying the way the fruit was grown and confirms the wine was made with SIP™ certified fruit.
Want to learn more about the details of the Standards and the certification program? Visit the Central Coast Vineyard Team website.
