The number of certified sustainable vineyards in California grew 44% and the number of certified sustainable wineries rose 13%, according to a just-released report from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
Average scores improved for 60% of vineyard criteria and 71% of winery criteria in the California Code of Sustainable Winegrowing workbook of 200 best practices.
California has one of the most widely adopted sustainable winegrowing programs in the world in terms of both winegrape acreage and case production. As of December 2018, 143 wineries producing over nearly 70% (209 million cases) of California’s total wine production and 1,398 vineyards farming 149,922 acres (25% of statewide wine acreage) are certified sustainable.
Another 15% of California vineyard acreage is certified to other sustainability programs in the state, including Fish Friendly Farming, Lodi Rules, Napa Green and Sustainability in Practice (SIP).