Recent News

CONSUMED: a podcast - Season IX: Beth Vukmanic, Program Director + fitness influencer, Vineyard Team/SIP Certified + Bethercize

When Beth Vukmanic came on the podcast, I was certain we'd talk only about her work with the Vineyard Team, an organization based in Atascadero, California that promotes sustainable winegrowing throughout the U.S. But Beth surprised me with all her many special fun facts: she was born in a moving VW Rabbit on a freeway in Detroit, she plays the harp professionally, and — here’s the biggie — she is a fitness superstar. No really.

Más Vino Please! If we care so much about our food, why don’t we think that way about wine?

Sometimes, it’s difficult to know which wines are natural and/or sustainable unless you do the research. (Lucky for you, I’ve already done a bunch of research and there will definitely be a newsletter about How-To Natty Wines). But until then, a great resource to use is SIPcertified.org. Their website lists all the wine companies, vineyards and wineries with their certification so you can easily reference sustainable wines.

Shady Lane Cellars Braces for Busiest Summer Season Yet

SUTTON’S BAY, MICHIGAN – The team at Shady Lane Cellars is preparing for its busiest summer season yet. And they want all who open a bottle or fill a glass with Shady Lane Cellars wine to know it was cultivated with a conscience.

Winemaker Kasey Wierzba, Vineyard Manager Andy Fles and General Manager Rick DeBlasio believe in the wine they make at this Leelanau Peninsula destination. Their sustainable practices are deeply imbedded in winemaking and were recognized when Shady Lane Cellars earned SIP – Sustainability in Practice – certification for its Michigan vineyard last fall.

Earth Day and Sustainability - Featuring Niner Wine Estates, Vina Robles Winery, & The Vineyard Team

With Earth Day right around the corner, Adam Monteil is highlighting Paso Robles producers who are walking the walk to be sustainable and make world class wines. Learn what it means to make wine sustainably with Beth Vukmanic, Program Director of SIP Certified then about the great work going on a local wineries Niner Wine Estates with Andy Niner and Vina Robles with Kevin Willenborg

Steps to Get SIP Certified

SIP Certified sustainable is a certification program providing third-party verification that your vineyard, winery, or both has adopted and implemented stringent sustainable winemaking and wine growing standards based on the best practices. These the below steps help you get started with program.

Taking the Temperature - Grape Expectations

For Midwest winemakers, higher temperatures mean more opportunities to grow different grape varieties — but bring a new slew of challenges. Grape growers in the Midwest — Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin — are largely spared from the raging wildfires that threaten vineyards on the West Coast. But they do have to navigate how the region’s increasingly erratic weather patterns and changes in the environment will affect their product — the timing of ripening, alcohol content, acidity, and even the color of the wine.

How to Communicate Sustainability w/Beth Vukmanic Lopez of The Vineyard Team

Beth Vukmanic Lopez joins the Craft & Cluster podcast to talk with us about why communicating your sustainability in your marketing is important in ensuring your brand’s economic sustainability. Beth even lists a few resources on HOW to communicate your sustainability in your various marketing channels!

Vineyard Team is Runner Up for the Footprint Stakeholder Engagement Award

The Footprint Drinks Sustainability Awards is the barometer for sustainability and responsible business practice for the drinks industry and represents the annual celebration of businesses and individuals making a difference to sustainability in the on-trade drinks sector and its supply chain.

Sustainable Farming for the Future

“The SIP program assesses the big picture,” Mark (Pisoni) notes. Its integrative “block-to-bottle” approach uses independent, measurable scientific standards to assess relationships between winemakers, workers, and the environment. (Sustainability) is a principle which, put into practice, involves hundreds and hundreds of decisions annually and an unceasing effort to gauge how the sum of small, daily choices affects the complex, vital relationship between the land and the people who live and work upon it.

There is always a reason to celebrate at Rava Wines

As a third-generation farming family, Chad and Lauren Rava were looking for a different approach to growing grapes and producing wine when they established Rava Wines. Stepping away from corporate wine grape growing they built their winery in the El Pomar District a sub appellation in the Paso Robles AVA, where they enjoy a simple way of life while raising their family and running their business.

Eat, Drink, Ski, Hike, Explore on These Northern Michigan Tours

MyNorth is here to help you eat, drink, ski, hike, and explore Northern Michigan. An added bonus to Northern Michigan food and drink tours? Many offer opportunities for outdoor excursions either onsite or close by. One of the favorites included in a recent article is SIP Certified Shady Lane Cellars.

Miller Family Wine Company Releases New Smashberry Chardonnay

Dedicated to blending untraditional and exciting flavors together, Smashberry seeks to smash old paradigms and establish bold new ones with their line-up of fruit-forward wines from the Central Coast. Staying true to Smashberry’s roots in blends, the 2019 Smashberry Chardonnay is a lively blend of Chardonnay and Viognier, sourced from SIP Certified vineyards in the Paso Robles appellation.

Sustainable Wines in Paso Robles Wine Country

In recent years, Paso Robles quickly became a top wine region in California. Equidistant from Los Angeles and San Francisco, the once bucolic town is now a popular destination for food and wine drinkers alike. With more acres of vines going into the ground, the need for sustainable farming was apparent and SIP Certified has worked with a number of Paso Robles area wines for over twenty five years to ensure the land can be farmed for years to come.

Sustainability: It's In Our Roots

As the first self-assessment for sustainable vineyard farming, SIP Certified was designed by growers for the wine industry. Today, SIP Certified is still rooted in its original mission of helping growers and winemakers implement the best possible practices.

Understanding Clean Wine Designations

For those of us who go to great lengths to  make sure our food is safe, why not do the same for wine? There are hundreds of wineries in the US ditching chemicals in favor of sustainable and eco-friendly practices. Consumers can easily buy organic, biodynamic, and SIP Certified wines in most bottle shops, but seldom know what these certifications really mean. Clear and concise explanations of these clean-wines are hard to come by. I wanted to know what “clean” wine was all about.

Winemakers Care for the Planet

Jerry Greenfield of the Florida Weekly addresses how farmers are deeply concerned about the land that provides their living. More and more, winemakers and the people who grow their grapes have been moving toward more sensible, sustainable agricultural practices.

Kiss My Wine

Besa mi vino – a new, clean and sustainable wine brand that is Certified Organic, Vegan, Gluten free, with zero grams of sugar and low in sulfites. We are one of a small group of wine brands that are SIP Certified (Sustainable in Practice). In addition, all the energy we use to make our wines at our winery in Paso Robles is generated through the solar panels on our vineyards making us a 100% self-sustainable winery!

Sustainable Wine in Sonoma County

When planning a wine tasting trip to Sonoma County, the number of places on the map is overwhelming and can seem daunting, but looking for wineries that align with your personal ethos and commitment to conservation helps whittle down your selection. Specifically looking for wineries with sustainable certification is an efficient way to find vineyards and wineries with practices that follow the three P’s of sustainability; People, Planet, and Prosperity. Ready to hit the road to Sonoma County? Let’s go.

Bigger Than Your Head Alternative Reds: Not Cab., Mer., or P.N.

Looking for something different to fill your glass? Bigger Than Your Head has the post for you, exploring unusual varieties. One highlight includes Castoro Cellars Reserve Tannat 2016, Estrella District, Paso Robles. 100 percent varietal; it aged 18 months in French and American oak barrels. The color is opaque black-purple with a transparent rim; the whole ripe, fleshy enterprise exudes elements of blackberries, currants and plums, permeated by hints of cloves and smoke, lavender and grilled, slightly charred meat; this displays tremendous traction on the palate, sliding through lip-smacking acidity and tannins that grow a bit shaggy as the moments pass; an oak nuance comes up in the finish, lending smoke and woodsy notes.

Why Get SIP Certified?

Did you know 83% of Americans consider sustainability when buying food? When your customers ask about sustainable wines, they can rest assured that SIP Certified shows a farmers and winemakers dedication to responsible practices from the soil to the bottle. Here are three ways certification brings value to your good work:

Call for Applications for the Seventh Annual California Green Medal:

California vineyards and wineries are encouraged to apply for the 2021 California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards. Applications are now being accepted at www.greenmedal.org. The California Green Medal is presented by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), California Association of Winegrape Growers, Wine Institute, Lodi Winegrape Commission, Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma County Winegrowers and The Vineyard Team.

Latest Reviews of Sustainable Wines from Catherine Fallis

Planet Grape Wine Review delivers short, non-technical reviews for regular people. Created by renowned wine expert Catherine Fallis, the world’s fifth female Master Sommelier. Here are her latest reviews of SIP Certified brands.

Wines for a Warming Planet: SIP Certified

Today, there are dozens of organizations worldwide that have been established to certify that wineries are producing wines that are less impactful on the planet. While most people likely understand the concept of “organic wine”, fewer, perhaps could explain the concept of “sustainable wines." Sustainability not only addresses what products are used in the production of wine, but it also considers how much is used, particularly in the case of water, a resource of increasing scarcity, particularly in California. Perhaps of equal importance, sustainability also considers the human aspect of grape/wine production–how employees are treated and compensated.

Wrath's San Saba Pinot Noir Awarded by Slow Wine Guide

Slow Wine USA (slowwineusa.com), a branch of the Slow Food movement begun in Italy in 1989 to protect local food cultures and traditions, has awarded Wrath’s Pinot Noir, San Saba Vineyard 2017 with its “COIN” award, designating that it represents an “excellent value for the price”. Wines submitted for judging by this organization must represent awareness of sustainable practices in the vineyard- to promote biodiversity, in the winery- where production methods should intervene as little as possible so the wines are an expression “of place” and in the community- to support the living environment for their employees and neighbors.

Influencer Marketing from Canned Wine Startup

The founding brothers want a company that creates wines consumers can feel good about drinking. The days of tossing out stale unfinished glass bottles and wine containing pesticides and animal byproducts are gone. Besa is aiming for consumers with a socially and environmentally conscious mindset. Besa’s brand is centered around the state of mind of “being present” in all that you do. When living in the present and enjoying every moment for what it is; happiness, clarity and good decision can occur. Live every day for the gift that it is.

6 Ways SIP Certified Helps Your Brand

83% of Americans consider sustainability an important factor when buying food and wine. SIP Certified differentiates your brand from your competition. Learn how.

What is Sustainable Wine? Ask Beth Vukmanic

Paul of Wine talks with Paul K says, "I hear 'this wine is sustainable' regularly from the wineries and vendors....what does that mean? Hear the answer...from Beth Vukmanic....and by the way, this girl is cut...we talk about her exercise regiment as well."

A Sustainable Wine Roadtrip: The Santa Maria Valley

Honing in on certified sustainable wineries is a great way to plan a trip and on this particular trip, we head to the Santa Maria Valley. An area comprised of over 2,500 vineyard acres, oriented from east to west routing ocean air directly into the valley, and with a steady Mediterranean climate yields one of California’s longest growing seasons. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah prosper in the Santa Maria Valley, but there are many under-discovered varietals the valley has to offer.

Sustainable Sippers

Local winemakers keep both the palate and the planet in mind. At its core, winemaking is an agricultural endeavor. Soil is tilled, vines are trained, grapes are grown, and the crop is picked. As winemakers have come to realize, however, these processes can have significant ecological and labor implications. Consequently, a growing interest in sustainable winemaking is spreading throughout the industry. And along the Central Coast, select vineyards have gone above and beyond to meet the stringent standards of the Sustainability in Practice (SIP) program.

How Green Medal Award Winning Pisoni Vineyards Is Ramping Up Sustainability Efforts

At Pisoni Family Vineyards, sustainability is about best farming practices drawn from conventional, natural, organic, and biodynamic approaches. It’s a small operation that invests in overall ecosystem management. 

Kris Beal Awarded Carl F. Hertz Distinguished Service in Agriculture Award

Kris Beal, longtime Executive Director of the Vineyard Team was awarded the Carl F. Hertz Distinguished Service in Agriculture Award. 

The Importance of Sustainable Certification

As consumers, it is increasingly important to us that we know the origins of what we’re putting into our bodies. When it comes to wine we have SIP Certified; this holistic approach to running a vineyard and winery accounts for habitat, water, energy, soil, recycling, air quality, packaging, pest management, social equity, and business management.

SIP Certified Welcomes New Winery and Vineyard Members

SIP Certified welcomes over fifteen new vineyards and wineries to their line-up of businesses committed to practicing sustainable farming and winemaking practices. The holistic nature of the third-party certification process encompasses the three P’s of sustainability; People, Planet, Prosperity. As the consumer demand for full transparency continues to grow, programs like SIP Certified are crucial for providing vineyards and wineries with a system holding them accountable.

Sustainable Wine One SIP At A Time

Winegrowers' and winemakers' actions have implications beyond the fence line. Thankfully, SIP Certified is dedicated to protecting the people and the planet by supporting sustainable winegrowing practices. 43 million bottles and counting! During this value-packed webinar with Good Impacts, SIP Certified Manager Beth Vukmanic Lopez explains how a focus on people, planet, and profit is creating a more sustainable wine industry.

Shady Lane Cellars Earns Prestigious Sustainability Certification

The staff at Shady Lane Cellars have long made sustainable practices a priority in their business, and now their Leelanau-based vineyard is earning official recognition for those efforts.

Kris Beal is Named 2020 Wine Industry Leader

Every year, Wine Business Monthly sets out to honor those who shape the way the wine industry operates or how people drink wine. We are thrilled to see our Executive Director since 1998, Kris Beal, make the list.

A (Safe) Wine & Wellness Road Trip Escape Up California's Central Coast

If you’re craving wide-open spaces, pristine uncrowded beaches, sun-kissed vineyards, winding coastal roads, and golden sunsets, don't delay. Pack up the car, and explore Central California. While the world adapts to safe travel during COVID-19, road trips may just be the solution for the adventure and freedom you crave with the safety you need. Road tripping helps you reconnect with feelings of spontaneity, optimism, and fun while giving you the flexibility to safely stay away from crowds.

SIP Certified to share survey results, resources for wineries in upcoming webinar

SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certified recently surveyed tasting room professionals to better understand the challenges facing tasting rooms in a COVID world as well as the resources used to keep up to date on protocols, and some of the triumphs navigating these monumental times. The survey focused on operational, customer-facing, and communication-centric questions that provided insight into both successes and hurdles in operating a tasting room at this time.

Nathan Carlson Reflects on a Decade with Center of Effort Wines

After a decade of working with Center of Effort Wine, time seems to have passed quickly. “As I think back, we have accomplished so much in that time. Our wines have found a rhythm, we understand the estate and the land, and we have begun to make adjustments based on deep knowledge of this place,” explains Nathan.

Center of Effort Achieves Elite Winery Status

Winery Becomes SIP Certified, Enhancing COE’s Ongoing Commitment to Sustainability

Giving Back: Social Responsibility

With conscious consumerism on the rise, it’s important to not only invest in social responsibility but to be proud of what you’re doing. Let’s take a look at some community building charities from SIP Certified members and hope it sparks ideas for future initiatives. Big or small, wineries helping in their respective communities make all the difference.

Deep thoughts:

At home in A-Town, an online somm appears like a mirage in the desert eliciting veritas from vino.

SIP with a Somm

Join Ian Adamo of Somm's Kitchen for and innovative new way to share food and wine pairings.

2018 Opolo Viognier Wine Review

I would suggest having this Viognier with some king crab legs.

Sip for Scholars Event Raises Funds for Children of Central Coast Vineyard Workers

On Friday, February 28, 2020, Vineyard Team will be hosting a benefit for the Vineyard Team Educational Scholarship Fund from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Nine Wine Estates located at 2400 Highway 46 West in Paso Robles.

Bellagreen Debuts Winter Seasonal Menu

Check out these new Menus items offered by Bellagreen!

10 Best Wines to Compliment Winter Dishes

Here are some top wine choices to enjoy while cooking this winter!

Wine’s Most Inspiring People: The Consistent Force Behind Sustainability in Practice

Learn more about SIP certified wineries and how they take the pleasure in holding this title and implementing the principle of sustainable practices throughout their whole farm.

A Chat With Laura Booras of Riverbench Vineyard & Winery

You won't want to miss this piece to learn more about Laura Booras of Riverbench Vineyard & Winery!

Falanghina and Lagrein from California? Of course! #WinePW

Check out this review of wines made from lesser known grape varieties and how they pair with many different meals.

Green Wines with Catherine Fallis and Deborah Parker Wong

Check out this review of Green Wines with Catherine Fallis and Deborah Parker Wong

Green Personality of the Year – Kris Beal, executive director of Vineyard Team

Check out who was named Green Personality of the Year by The Drinks Business!

Wrath Wines Swan/828 Pinot Noir 2017

Check out this review of Wrath Wines Pinot Noir 2017, Certified by SIP!

Planet Grape Wine Reviews Top Ten Green Wines

Earth friendly wine? Learn more about the ways wines are made and categorized by three regulated tiers, Sustainable, Organic, and Biodynamic.

Call for Applications for the Sixth Annual California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards

California vineyards and wineries are encouraged to apply for the 2020 California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards.

ReSIProcal February

SIP Your Best Life with ReSIProcal February. Receive two (2) complimentary tastings at any participating SIP Certified member tasting room. All you need to do is show the email you received from your wine club or the take-away available at all participating tasting rooms!

Al San Saba Vyd Monterey County Sauvigon Blanc '18 91 Points James Melendez

You won't want to miss this review of Al Sauvignon Blanc!

Wine Guy: Try these alternative white wines

Looking for a great new white wine to satisfy your palette? Check out this list of alternative white wines!

The Lonely Slog of Farming Right: Does Anyone Really Care About Organic and Sustainable Wine?

So what do winemakers do, and does the public really care if a vineyard is farmed sustainably, organically or even biodynamically to begin with?

Millenial Taste: A New Generation Of Wine

Millenials market share of wine sales now matches baby boomers.

Laurie Daniel on Wine: 2017 Baileyana “Firepeak” Pinot Noir

Paragon is planted to nearly a dozen grape varieties chosen for their ability to shine in Edna Valley’s cool climate

Sustainable Wine Tasting on the San Luis Obispo Coast

Not all wine is created equal, nor are all grapes grown equally in the vineyard. Many wineries throughout the San Luis Obispo Coast farm their vineyards and make their wines “sustainably,” meaning they choose to save water, encourage biodiversity, take care of their workers and give tasters wines that do no harm to Mother Earth.

Great Sustainable Wine; Baker & Brain Gruner Veltliner

The signature Gruner Veltliner, made of grapes sourced from Edna Valley—one of the great “secret” wine regions of the world.

Great Sustainable Wine: J. Wilkes Pinot Blanc

...but before all that happens, that feeling of peace, relaxation and bliss upon the ocean—that’s this wine - the 2016 J. Wilkes Pinot Blanc.

James the Wine Guy August 2019 Wine Reviews

August was a very nice wine tasting month fir James including wines from Opolo and Fiddlestix.

Restaurant Wine by Ronn Wiegand

The new issue of Restaurant Wine by Ronn Wiegand just came out and a number of SIP Certified wines did extremely well.

Bigger Than Your Head “Interesting” Whites

Fredric Koeppel brings you new whites to try.

SIP Certified Announces Newly Certified, High-Profile Vineyards for 2019

SIP Certified (Sustainability in Practice) has just released a list of new vineyards that have been certified sustainable for 2019. The high-profile group includes six new properties and two long-time members.

Bottles Beverage Superstore Highlights SIP Certified Sustainable Wines

"We are beyond thrilled to be the FIRST retailer on the East Coast working with SIP Certified"

Planet Grape Wine Review: SIP Certified Wines

Planet Grape Wine Review delivers short, non-technical reviews for regular people. Check out the latest reviews of SIP Certified wines.

Wine Enthusiast Favorite California Chardonnays for $25 or Less

Two of the five are SIP Certified sustainable. Great wines really do come from healthy vineyards.

Visit Paso Robles; Incredible Light Art Instillation and Wine Tasting

Sarah A. Spitz gets out of town to see artist Bruce Munro’s massive outdoor walk-through installation called Field of Light and rides through the Halter Ranch Vineyards on their popular land rover tour.

Drink Sustainably With SIP Certified Wines

Syrah Queen delves into how the wine industry is looking to make sustainable wines that give back to the land and community on every level plus some great wines you can try that protect the people and planet.

YouTube Playlist: Jame the Wine Guy Reviews SIP Certified Wines

Reviewing sustainable wines on one channel. Sustainability comes in many colours that can hone in on relevant, cutting edge and helpful ways of producing high quality fruit with absolute sensitivity to the planet and people.

James the Wine Guy Interview Series: Beth Vukmanic Lopez, SIP Certified Manager

I have long been a fan of all sustainability programs because the reach, intent and adoption are in touch with today’s needs for environmentally friendly and responsibly produced wines.

Boozehound Wine Each Week – McIntyre 2018 Rose’ of Pinot Noir

Looking for a rose to sip this summer? Check out this review!

SIP Certified: A Start to Combat Climate Change

The drunken cyclist asks what can we do to address the situation? Well, for one, we can start buying products that are friendly to the environment.

Influencer Marketing from Canned Wine Startup

LA Based Canned Wine startup, Besa mi Vino is on a mission to produce clean wine for the world we live in. Not only did they just launch with two wines, they are partnered with elite influencers, estimating to receive millions of impressions of their wines while reaching socially conscious millennial consumers.

22 Cabernet Sauvignon Wines, Mostly Napa Valley

Fredric Koeppel of Bigger Than Your Head highlights 22 Cabernet Sauvignon Wines, Mostly Napa Valley but also including an excellent Paso Robles wine from Halter Ranch.

10 Reasons to Visit Paso Robles Now

Looking for a summer get away? Money Inc agrees with us, you can’t go wrong with a trip to Paso Robles. Just a 3-hour drive north from Los Angeles or south from San Francisco, Paso Robles feels worlds away from city life.

Winemakers care for the planet

Jerry Greenfield of the Florida Weekly addresses how farmers are deeply concerned about the land that provides their living. More and more, winemakers and the people who grow their grapes have been moving toward more sensible, sustainable agricultural practices.

Wines for a Warming Planet

The Drunken Cyclist started a blog in 2012 as a creative outlet to write about his passions: wine and cycling (hence the “Drunken Cyclist” moniker). The blog has become exclusively on wine for its compelling stories–from the vineyard, to the tasting room, to the table.

Latest Reviews of Sustainable Wines from Catherine Fallis

Planet Grape Wine Review delivers short, non-technical reviews for regular people. Created by renowned wine expert Catherine Fallis, the world’s fifth female Master Sommelier. Here are her latest reviews of SIP Certified brands.

Bigger Than Your Head Alternative Reds: Not Cab., Mer., or P.N.

McIntyre SLH Estate Chardonnay ’17 94 Points James Melendez