D'Anbino Vineyards are now Certified Sustainable!

Led by Vineyard Manager Kathy D'Andrea, D'Anbino has become one of the first handful of vineyards to be certified sustainable under the Sustainability In Practice (SIP) program, and will begin releasing wines with the SIP seal as early as the first quarter of 2009.

The Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Vineyard Certification Program provides a comprehensive and verifiable method to authenticate a vineyard’s attention to integrated farming practices – a commitment to environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees, and economic viability. Developed by the Central Coast Vineyard Team - a non-profit dedicated to sustainable winegrowing since 1994 - this program represents one natural outgrowth of the group’s pioneering work.

Defining Sustainable Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture defines sustainable agriculture as an integrated system of plant and animal production practices that will, over the long term:

• Satisfy human food and fiber needs
• Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
• Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
• Sustain the economic viability of farm operations
• Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

Read the press release at www.winebusinessmonthly.com.

To learn more about the SIP program, visit www.sipthegoodlife.org.