FAQ

SIP is a sustainability certification for California winegrape growers. The program looks at the farm in its entirety addressing water conservation, energy efficiency, air quality, habitat conservation, business stability and social responsibility. Each applicant is audited by a third party inspector to confirm that they meet the strict eligibility requirements.

When a winery produces wine meeting the Sustainability In Practice (SIP)™ standards, independent auditors verify and confirm that all practices have met the requirements, allowing the wine to use the SIP seal. You’ll find it on both the front and back labels of selected wines and you’ll often see the seal when you’re visiting wineries, in signs at the tasting room on near a SIP certified vineyard. You may even find that your retailer identifies SIP wines on the shelves.

SIP Certified wines are sold nationwide, in all the usual places. If you find a favorite producer, you may be able to ask them where their wines are sold. Some wineries can sell directly through their tasting rooms and wine clubs, depending on local regulations. Today, there is a variety of wines offered by wineries throughout California. Additional wineries are qualifying to use the SIP seal, and you can follow their progress by becoming a SIP fan at Facebook or following us on Twitter.

Would you be surprised if we said the best way to find out was to taste SIP certified wines for yourself and decide? Didn’t think so. Wine is a very personal, subjective experience. You may like a wine that your friend simply doesn’t care for. Frankly, there is nothing about sustainable wine that guarantees it will taste better. BUT, and it’s a big but, it’s often said that great wine is made in the vineyard, and SIP certified wines come from vineyards that have received great care and attention. You make the call.

No.  From its'  inception the growers who developed the Standards wanted to create a certification that would be available throughout California to any grower who wanted to be a part of a distinguishing program. The purpose of SIP is to promote the adoption of sustainable vineyard farming practices and provide the opportunity for marketplace recognition of SIP Certified vineyards and wines.

First of all, congratulations for moving ahead with a certification program. You are likely already well along in your stewardship of your vineyards, and a certification program such as SIP can help with education, reinforcement and recognition of your efforts, and introduce additional concepts about sustainability, including relationships with our community, and with our workers.

Generally, SIP certified wines reflect an approach that is broader and more involved than farming organically. Each has unique goals: Sustainability In Practice (SIP)™ Certification Meet today’s needs without compromising the needs of future generations including environmental health, economic viability and social equity. USDA-National Organic Program Optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. Biodynamic Create and maintain a unique, self-sustained farming ecosystem. Still confused? Just remember this. If you see the SIP seal, or the seals from organizations like the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) or Demeter Certified Biodynamic each one indicates that the wine has taken extra care to responsibly farm and care for the environment. The broadest, most comprehensive standards covering a variety of issues, are those found in the SIP program.

There are a few important differences between Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certification and the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) programs:

• SIP is a practice & performance based program – every requirement and management enhancement has to do with practices and is measurable, therefore auditable (ex. You must have a winter cover crop). CCSW is a process based program (ex. Do you have a plan to prevent erosion during winter?)
• SIP is a distinguishing program with a minimum threshold for eligibility so not all growers can qualify. CCSW is an inclusionary program designed to buoy the California wine industry toward more sustainable practices.
• SIP prohibits the use of high risk pesticides
• A bottle of wine can bear the SIP Seal, given it has undergone a chain of custody audit confirming it is made with at least 85% SIP Certified fruit

Wineries are finding that both consumers and retailers are asking about sustainable practices, so interest in the SIP program has never been higher. Right now several wines are being evaluated for the program, and additional vineyards are expected to join the program this year. The best way to find new SIP wines is to visit this website regularly or become a Facebook fan to stay updated on the latest SIP news.

For 2012, there are nearly 30,000 acres SIP Certified. You can find a complete list of certified vineyards online.

As of 2012, there are over 500,000 cases bearing the SIP Certified seal. A complete listing of certified wines is available online.

Certification will be awarded based on the applicant complying with all Requirements as well as achieving a minimum of 75% of the total available points in the Standards. A grower’s farming practices and documentation are verified through an independent audit and auditor reports are reviewed by an advisory committee. The purpose of certification is for growers to evaluate and substantiate their farming practices on a whole farm level.

Growers are audited and certified on an annual basis. The program season is from December 1st through November 30th. Certification applies to the vintage within which the practices were third-party audited.

Vineyard certification fees are divided into three categories: Application, Audit, and Certification. The onetime non-refundable Application Fee is $500 for members and $1,000 for non-members; it includes three hours of pre-audit assistance by program staff. The Audit Fee is charged on an hourly basis and is paid directly to the auditor (estimated fees range from $50 - $100 per hour). Year 1 audits take 8-15 hours and audits in years 2 and 3 take 2-4 hours. The cost of the entire audit depends on the grower’s readiness and organization. Certification Fees are paid on an annual basis and are charged per acre. Note that a single farming company with multiple vineyards will be charged the rate that applies to their total acreage. Certification Fees are as follows:

Acres	$/Acre
0 – 49	$20.00*
50-99	$15.00
100-249	$12.00
250-499	$10.00
500-999	$9.00
1000-2,499	$8.00
2,500-4,999	$6.00
5,000+	$5.00

*500 minimum Certification fees are used for program administration, materials and marketing of SIP Certification.

Great!  Read through the For Vineyards page to learn how to get started or contact Beth Vukmanic, Certification Coordinator at 805.466.2288 or beth@sipcertified.org.

Great! To certify your wines you will need to complete a chain of custody audit showing that the final product is made with at least 85% SIP Certified fruit. Read through the For Wines page to learn how to get started or contact Beth Vukmanic, Certification Coordinator at 805.466.2288 or beth@sipcertified.org.

The wine audit is conducted throughout the year to fit your bottling schedule. You will select an auditor from the approved list on the last page of the Information Package and set up an appointment. The auditor will complete a documentation chain of custody audit, verifying block to bottle that the final product is made with at least 85% SIP Certified fruit.

Wine certification fees are divided into two categories: Audit and Certification. Audits take around 1-4 hours and fees are charged on an hourly basis and paid directly to the auditor (estimated fees range from $50 - $150 per hour). The cost of the entire audit depends on the grower’s readiness and organization. Certification Fees are paid on an annual basis and are charged per case.

Cases	$/Case
0 - 7,499	0.16
7,500 - 24,999	0.12
25,000 - 49,999	0.10
50,000 - 99,999	0.08
100,000 - 249,999	0.07

Certification fees are used for program administration, materials and marketing of SIP Certification.

Once you are certified you can share your commitment to sustainable farming practices. SIP Certification verifies your efforts to preserve, protect and enhance the environment , ensure business stability, and equitable treatment of workers. You can use the SIP seal on point of sale materials and the bottle (with a chain of custody audit) to convey these practices in the market place.