Many consumers want to buy sustainable wines but are not sure how to find them. SIP Certified shows that you use practices that protect the people and planet so your customers know that their wine was made with care.
We know your customers are looking for wines labeled as “sustainable”. In a recent systematic review of 30 studies, consumers reported a higher preference for ecolabel and social responsibility labels compared to nutrition labels. Achieving SIP Certified gives you third-party verification that your vineyard, winery, or wine has adopted and implemented stringent sustainable winemaking and wine growing standards.
“By putting our sustainability beliefs into practice, we have the ability to educate the consumer on why sustainability should be a decision-maker in their purchases. SIP Certified makes it easy for us to share this message as they are not only a trusted and credible program, they offer a variety of valuable resources for both the consumers and businesses alike” - Fintan Du Fresne, Chamisal Vineyards
“Being Certified Sustainable in the SIP program has really helped us tell the story of the Hope Family Vineyard, especially with distributors and customers who want to learn more about our vineyard practices” - Austin Hope, Hope Family Wines
SIP Certified is a rigorous sustainable vineyard, winery, and wine certification with strict, non-negotiable standards based on science and expert input, independent verification, transparency, and absence of conflict of interest. Certification addresses the 3 P’s of Sustainability – People, Planet, Prosperity – ensuring that both natural and human resources are protected. The rules, called Standards, require a measurable, holistic set of practices addressing habitat, water, energy, soil, recycling, air quality, packaging, pest management, social equity, and business management. Participants document dozens of requirements and implement sustainable practices. Practices are verified through independent records and on-site inspections and receive final approval from an independent advisory board.
SIP Certified evolved from the award-winning self-assessment (Positive Points System) developed by Vineyard Team which helped growers evaluate their sustainable practices on every level, from habitat to water, soil to human resources. After four years of intensive review by viticulture experts and experienced growers, SIP Certified launched its pilot program in 2008 with 3,700 acres of vines between Monterey and Santa Barbara counties. Today, there are over 42,000 vineyard acres in California and Michigan, five wineries, and more than 49 million bottles of wine that have been SIP Certified. Consumers around the world can now find a wide array of sustainably produced wines to fit their needs, budgets, and stylistic preferences.
SIP Certified is proud to stand with other environmental leaders working to preserve our natural and human resources.
Just for the record, Chris Hamell is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Masters World Champion. He is also the vineyard manager at Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills in the Santa Maria Valley...
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Karl Wittstrom – that’s him on horseback ‑ was born into a ranching family in the Paso Robles region of California. These days he’s co-owner and operations manager at Margarita Vineyard and Ancient Peaks Winery...
Read MoreAre you looking for a recipe to pair with a bottle of Pinot Noir?
Jerry James Stone has created the perfect recipe to pair with Ron Rubin's 2019 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: Seared cornmeal polenta medallions with slow-roasted heirloom cherry tomatoes, homemade arugula pesto, and crème fraîche.
Our members and inspectors have asked for more time to complete inspections, so this year, we have expanded the window for inspections to March 15th through July 15th.
Please note applicants are subject to a late fee ($250-$500) for documentation received by the inspector after July 25, 2022.
