GREEN VITICULTURE

The May 31, 2010 issue of Wine Spectator reports on efforts to formalize the production of wine through sustainable methods. It reports that some vineyards are moving beyond "organic" methods into more sustainability that includes use of wind power, water conservation, employee benefits, handling of materials and even providing natural habitats for birds and predators.

Apparently, Oregon is a leader in this movement. In 2009, the Oregon Wine Board introduced a program called Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine that provides certification and unified marketing. About 150 wines from 18 wineries have been certified with another 10 wineries heading for certification of their 2009 and 2010 vintages.

California has two certification programs. These are the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission and the Central Coast Vineyard Team. The Lodi has amore than 16,000 acres (out of about 100,000) certified for sustainability. The Central Coast region 11,000 acres out of 60,000 certified. Of course, as mentioned in previous posts, I am partial to the Central Coast region since I visit relatives there, providing an opportunity to tour many of its vineyards.

In any case, it is a trend I hope continues to gain momentum. This is especially true as I am reading "The Omnivore's Dilemna" by Michael Pollan.