Sustainability

In everything we do, at our winery and beyond, we believe in caring for the planet and the people who call it home. It’s a commitment that benefits our employees, our visitors, our business partners and the community at large.

SIP certified

It’s why we have aimed for – and achieved – the gold standard for sustainable vineyard and wine certification, Sustainability in Practice (SIP).

Caring for People, Farms & the Environment

We’re deeply committed to the 3 Ps of sustainability – people, planet and prosperity. Here’s what that looks like on a daily basis at River Road Family Vineyards and Winery:

Social Responsibility

We offer competitive wages, medical insurance, training, and education because each worker is a valuable resource

Water Conservation

We regularly monitor soils, plants, and weather, irrigating vines only when needed and we measure water used in the winery to prevent waste

Clean Water

We keep water clean by growing grasses to reduce erosion and filter storm runoff and filter winery water for reuse

Safe Pest Management

We introduce beneficial insects, attract raptors, and plant-enriching cover crops to keep vineyards healthy

Energy Efficiency

We use alternative fuels and energy sources like solar and wind, minimize tractor use reduce our carbon footprint, and use insulation to increase energy efficiency

Habitat

We create wildlife corridors to give animals access to traditional watering holes and food, helping to maintain biodiversity

Business

We have sound business practices with a long term view to treat our employees and community with care for generations

Third Party Audit

We adhere to SIP’s strict Standards through third-party documentation and onsite inspections

Improvement

We annually update our farming and wine processing Standards as Best Management Practices evolve with new science, technology and research
 

Certified Sustainable logo

California Certified Sustainable

We’re also proud to be Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, both for our vineyard and winery, in recognition for our commitment to the environment.

Here are some of the specific sustainable practices we’ve put in place around River Road Family Vineyards and Winery:

In the Vineyards:

  • Owl boxes for pest management
  • Covercrop for nutrient addition to soils
  • Tilling of weeds (no sprays)
  • Water availability monitoring in soils, limited irrigation based strictly on needs of vines.
  • Drought tolerant, beneficial insect-friendly landscaping

Around the Winery:

  • Water use monitoring and conservation
  • Solar energy
  • High efficiency LED lighting installed in 2016 to replace sodium halide lighting
  • Continued education and training for staff

 

 

We are delighted to be a member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable the only global collaborative platform to advance sustainability across the wine industry from production to retail. Sustainable Wine Roundtable is an independent, non profit, multi stakeholder roundtable and its 90+ members are advancing their sustainability impact through best practice sharing and collaborative initiatives so that collectively we can be sustainability leaders.

The Sustainable Wine Roundtable catalyses and drives collective action and knowledge sharing through the specific areas which include:

  • Creating the first Global Sustainability Reference Standard in wine
  • Packaging
  • Vineyard inputs
  • Labor standards