Green Wine Standards in California

Going green has become a shallow tag line in many businesses. In California, the wine industry is starting a modest certification program that will help standardize exactly what being a "green" winery really entails. From soils erosion to energy conservation, wineries are invited to rate themselves on 227 practices. To qualify, participants need to meet 58 prerequisites or have a plan to meet them within a year.

This list is not daunting and should be an easily accomplished goal by many wineries. Some are complaining that indeed the list is too simple and that the goals should somehow be loftier.

Seventeen companies volunteered for a trial run, a list dominated by such major industry players as Gallo, Diageo and Constellation but also including smaller properties like Cooper-Garrod in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Honig in Napa Valley.

Still, the current standards are so modest that some in the industry wonder whether they will have a real impact, especially in selling to overseas markets, where strict sustainability certifications like EntWine Australia have been in use for years. Several other California efforts, notably the Lodi Rules program, are already ahead — both in specifics and in conducting outside audits.

A quick look at the baseline requirements reveals the potential for tougher standards. Requirements on water use are vague, requiring only an annual test of water quality for decision-making purposes and some basic water planning. Soil fumigation is allowed so long as there's testing to ensure a problem.

I'm glad that there will be some less arbitrary way of defining a green winery - small steps lead to great things! To read the full article from the SF Chronicle click here.