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Central Coast wine enthusiasts will have more sustainable wines to choose from

Sustainability in Practice (SIP) certified Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles in 2011.
Flickr / Dirk DBQ
Sustainability in Practice (SIP) certified Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles in 2011.

Winegrowing on the Central Coast is becoming more sustainable. Local vineyards wrapped up a certification process that will help them grow in a more environmentally and socially conscious manner.

The state of California does not mandate certification courses for vineyards to label their wine as “sustainable.” But, there are third-party organizations, like Sustainability in Practice, or SIP, that help vineyards develop a conservation plan for their crops and businesses.

The Executive Director of the organization, Beth Vukmanic, said the plan helps growers implement water conservation, habitat preservation, and ethical business management practices.

“They would need to, for example, show that they have a conservation plan that addresses every aspect of their property. They would need to have a winter cover crop, which is those grasses that grow in between the vine rows. Those help prevent erosion. They can provide nutrients back into the soil.”

SIP certified more than 10 vineyards across the Central Coast this year. The list includes Alamo Creek Ranch, Foxen Vineyard and Winery and Mirabella Vineyard.

Certified vineyards can now advertise their wine as sustainable.

Gabriela Fernandez came to KCBX in May of 2022 as a general assignment reporter, and became news director in December of 2023. In September of 2024 she returned to reporting full time.
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