Archives
Seeking Pilot Wineries for SIP Certified
After four years of development with a variety of stakeholders, we’re pleased to announce the pilot of the SIP Certified Sustainable Winery program. We are looking for companies throughout California interested in participating in the formal pilot this year. The pilot is limited to 12 participants and we look forward to setting the gold standard for sustainable wine production with SIP Certified Wineries in 2015. Interested in being a pilot winery? Please contact Beth Vukmanic Lopez at Beth@vineyardteam.org or at 805.466.2288. We’re kicking off the launch with a self-assessment workshop to provide winery representatives the... [Read more...]
SIP, Earth Day, Funk & Soul
Taste dozens of sustainably grown, SIP Certified wines paired with amazing local treats at the Earth Day Food & Wine Weekend main event. We are bringing the Cali Funk and Soul with feature band Proxima Parada. Infused with rhythmic variety, lyrical depth, and a strong sense of musical integrity, this four-piece band cites Ray Charles, The Wood Brothers, Bill Withers, and The Band as influences. They create anything from unadorned acoustic that captures the atmosphere of a summer morning to floor-stomping, dance numbers with enough passion to attract any open ears. [Read more...]
30% Off Wine Fees
Celebrate Earth Day Every Day! SIP is offering 30% off all Wine Certification fees for applications received between April 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Share your sustainability with your customers by adding the SIP seal to your wine bottle. Download the application package to get started and contact Beth Vukmanic Lopez at beth@vineyardteam.org | 805.466.2288 with questions. [Read more...]
The Story Behind Laetitia Vineyard & Winery
We are proud to work with SIP Certified Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, one of a handful of vineyards that participated in the 2008 pilot program. Vault 29 recently posted a "Wine Mic Monday" from Nadia Zilkha of Laetitia Vineyards and Winery. SIP looks at the whole farm, addressing the people, the planet and prosperity. I love when Nadia addresses the second "P", saying that her father, Selim Zilkha, "...is someone who really cares for the well-being of his employees...". SIP Certified farms like Laetitia know that each worker is a valuable resource. Laetitia is a... [Read more...]
Sustainability – A Legacy
Celebrating 20 years as an organization dedicated to sustainable winegrowing, the Vineyard Team recently honored its founders with the inaugural Legacy Award at this year’s 10th Annual Sustainable Ag Expo. What began as a group of innovative farmers wanting to challenge and improve their own farming decisions, evolved to a nationally recognized organization with several progressive projects: Sustainability in Practice (SIP)™ Certification, Sustainable Ag Expo, Earth Day Food and Wine Weekend, and various research and education programs. Since inception, with a myriad of programs that advance the industry’s commitment to forward thinking farming practices, the... [Read more...]
Training on SIP & Wine Certification
Learn More about SIP & Sustainability We are available to talk about SIP Certification and sustainability. Being familiar with the talking points of SIP and how to best communicate sustainable farming efforts with customers is great for a winery staff and sales team. Thirty minute trainings are complimentary to certified participants. Please contact Beth Vukmanic Lopez at 805.466.2288 or beth@vineyardteam.org to schedule. SIP Certify Your Wines Share your sustainability by adding the SIP logo to your wine label. Being able to use the logo on the bottle is a distinguishing feature of SIP Certification, and is an easy... [Read more...]
Educational Scholarships for Farm Workers
The Sustainability In Practice (SIP)™ Certification program evolved from two decades of effort to understand and implement sustainable farming practices. The developer of SIP, the Vineyard Team, continues that mission today with farm worker education, field research, SIP Certification for sustainably grown vineyards, and the upcoming Earth Day Food & Wine Weekend. The Earth Day April 18, 2015 main event at SIP Certified Castoro Cellars delivers a top quality food and wine experience paired with a casual, low-key atmosphere, all while celebrating the passionate people behind a sustainable food movement. Proceeds from this event directly... [Read more...]
Moules-Frites + Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay
Having recently started to plan a trip to Belgium, I was excited to see one of the country's famed dishes suggested as a Valentines Day meal! Moules-frites, mussels cooked or steamed with onions and celery served with fries, sounds like a great alternative to a traditional romantic meal. So forget the chocolate and fondue, serve up your delicious dish with a glass of Chardonnay and you have a winning dinner over which to celebrate the day of L.O.V.E. Thank you to SIP Certified Kendall-Jackson for the inspiring recipe. [Read more...]
Database Maintenance on Feb. 5
Starting February 5 at 9:00 pm PST through 4:00 am February 6, the SIP database will undergo some proactive upgrades of core routers that will significantly improve your experience. During this maintenance, you may experience short periods of latency lasting 2-10 minutes, or packet loss lasting up to 1 minute while traffic is rerouted and hardware is replaced and tested. [Read more...]
February Webinar, 2015 Materials, Database
SIP Applicant Training - Webinar |February 13, 2015 | 9:00 am - 9:30 am Advice on how to best achieve SIP Certification, review program rules and guidance on how to use the online database. SIP Vineyard Certification The 2015 SIP Vineyard Certification cycle is from December 1, 2014 – November 30, 2015. Materials Posted 2015 SIP materials including the Standards, Information Package and Updates are live in the database and posted online at sipcertified.org. Inspection Type Certified Vineyards should start documenting the Standards now so you are ready for your inspection between June 1 and... [Read more...]