Atascadero, CA (October 29, 2024) – This summer, California’s winegrowing industry became more sustainable. 12 vineyards across San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties showcased their dedication to responsible vineyard stewardship by meeting the rigorous standards of the Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified® program.
These new members come from diverse winegrowing regions, bringing 2,500 environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable vineyard acres into the program’s growing membership and into the wine grape market.
Each new and returning SIP Certified applicant undergoes a comprehensive third-party evaluation of their operation, including water conservation and quality protection, habitat preservation, business management, and much more.
Among the new SIP Certified vineyards is Foxen Vineyard, located in Santa Maria, California. While several past vintages of Foxen wines have been made with SIP Certified grapes from nearby vineyards, this year, their estate Tinaquaic Vineyard earned the prestigious designation.
“At Foxen, our commitment to sustainability runs deep,” says Kaitlin Armstrong, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Since our origin in 1985, we have always practiced sustainable farming, environmental stewardship, and community outreach. Our estate Tinaquaic Vineyard is now SIP Certified, which aligns perfectly with our core values. For us, making great wine starts by taking care of our people and farming a healthy vineyard. If those things are in balance, then the wines will be in balance, too.”
The growing number of SIP Certified sustainable vineyards and wineries is an inspiring portrayal of the industry’s commitment to enhance social and environmental health while creating high-quality wines.
“We are thrilled to welcome these 12 new vineyards to the SIP Certified family,” says Beth Vukmanic, Executive Director of Vineyard Team, the nonprofit organization behind the SIP Certified program. “Their commitment to sustainable practices not only contributes to the long-term health and success of the wine industry but offers consumers more options for wines that were made with conscious care for the people and the planet.”
While the certification period for 2024 is just wrapping up, now is a great time for aspiring SIP Certified vineyard and winery stewards to start thinking about 2025 certification. New applicants can sign up on the SIP Certified database at https://app.sipcertified.org and get a head start on next year’s application. The official due date for 2025 sign-ups is December 1, 2024.
For more information about the SIP Certified program and a full list of participating vineyards, please visit sipcertified.org.
About SIP Certified
Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified is one of the wine industry’s oldest and most important third-party programs. It utilizes a block-to-bottle, integrated approach to management, enabling farmers, wineries and winemakers to preserve the environment and protect human resources.
SIP Certified boasts strict, non-negotiable requirements and standards based on science, expert input, independent verification, transparency and the absence of conflict of interest. SIP Certified launched its pilot program in 2008 with 3,700 acres of vines between Monterey and Santa Barbara counties. Today, there are over 46,000 acres of vines and five wineries in California, Oregon, and Michigan and more than 63 million bottles of wine that have been SIP Certified.
For more information about SIP Certified, please visit sipcertified.org.
