sustainability

BETTER WINES

RESPONSIBLY

As a founding member of the Central Coast Vineyard Team, Steve McIntyre was one of the originators of SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certification program. Sustainable winegrowing is a “Big Picture” philosophy that considers the cumulative impact of every decision related to the three pillars of sustainability: Fiscal, Social and Environmental. To become SIP Certified, winegrowers must meet high standards in the following areas: habitat and ecology conservation, energy efficiency, pest management, water conservation, economic stability and human resources. To date, over 1,000 SIP Certification evaluations have been collected and the guiding principles of the program are permanently altering the way winegrowers think about farming.

Sustainable farming is a self-correcting discipline that utilizes a self-assessment scoring system to evaluate one’s progress. It combines best management practices from other farming systems, like organic and biodynamic, to positively impact an organization’s triple bottom line: fiscal, environment and society. Sustainability is not about standards, it’s about metrics.

Steve McIntyre

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Regenerative Farming

Biochar technology shows great promise in regenerative agriculture, mitigating climate change and improving soil quality, as well as reducing waste and producing energy as a byproduct.

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Sustainable Viticulture

The basic tenet of an organic farming system is the use of approved “organic” materials to control pests of various kinds in a given cropping system. The materials are regarded as environmentally safer than those employed by mainstream agriculture.

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Cover Crops

Cover crops have been used for decades and their use in “permanent” agriculture, such as vineyards, has expanded significantly in recent years. It is probable that the majority of vineyards in the state are now using them to some extent.

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Organic Agriculture

Our company has had the opportunity to utilize several different farming systems over the past 23 years. We have farmed organically, biodynamically and sustainably for a number of different wineries.

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