SIPS OF SUMMER
WINE POP-UP
Sustainability
As climate change has become increasingly a concern, there are voices advocating for actions around environmental concerns. Realizing this over two decades ago, California Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers introduced the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing in 2002. In the following year, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) was established to promote sustainable winegrowing practices within the California wine community and implement the Sustainable Winegrowing Program. Taking a step forward, Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) was introduced in 2010 aiming to grow and craft quality winegrapes and wine while protecting the environment, being a good neighbor and employer, and maintaining thriving family farms and businesses.
Steve Matthiasson has inspired growers throughout California to invest more in sustainable practices since he co-authored the groundbreaking California manual on sustainable vineyard practices in 1999. In 2002 he started consulting on vineyard practices in Napa. Since then he has been actively advocating for sustainability. He has also helped develop some of the world's first robust sustainability programs in California.
Sustainability is a concept that has evolving definitions and practices. One may recall the years when the concept of organic viticulture was brought to the world's attention in the 1990s, there was not as much voice as compared to today on carbon footprint, renewable energy, biodiversity, diversity and inclusion, or regenerative farming. Increasingly, more consumers and wine buyers are aware of sustainability and paying attention to sustainable efforts that wineries make. The recent pandemic has made many of us question our way of living and what has happened to the Earth. Awareness of environmental concerns and sustainable living led us to rethink whether we should make some fundamental changes in our attitudes towards the Earth and how to live a balanced life.
Understanding sustainability requires recognition that vines and wines are living things, as well as the ways to manage vineyards and wineries driven by employees and communities at large. A holistic approach to help Mother Nature revitalize and create a better life for ourselves is vital for sustainable development. California wine producers have seen this through and been trying to define sustainability values and principles that drive sustainable practices in the vineyard, the winery and the community to protect longevity of the vineyards, quality of wines, our well-being at the present and the Earth for future generations.
可持續發展
氣候變化備受全球關注，不少提倡改善環境行動的聲音出現，希望可以制止變化。早在二十年前，California Wine Institute及California Association of Winegrape Growers已開始優先處理氣候變化的問題，並携手於2002年推出《可持續發展葡萄種植準則》（Code of Sustainable Winegrowing）。翌年，加州可持續發展葡萄種植聯盟（California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance CSWA） 成立，主責向加州酒業界推廣實現可持續發展的葡萄種植的方法及推行可持續發展葡萄種植計劃（Sustainable Winegrowing Program）。幾年後，可持續發展再邁進一步, 加州可持續發展葡萄種植認證（Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing）於2010年推出，旨在推動酒莊在培植優質葡萄品種及釀造優質葡萄酒以外，並同時保護環境、建立良好毗鄰關係、成為良好僱主和注入其他元素，如能源及用水效益、僱員關係、社區參與等等。
Steve Matthiasson是推動可持續發展的先鋒，他啟發了不少加州各處的葡萄種植者，使他們投入更多資源以實踐可持續發展，他更於1999年合著開創先河的手冊，闡述在加州的葡萄園如何實踐可持續種植。2002年起，他開始在Napa擔當顧問，專門提供建立可持續性葡萄園的意見，同時積極提倡可持續發展，他亦協助策劃及發展一些全球首創的的可持續發展計劃，並在加州實行。
可持續發現展是不斷演變的概念，無論定義或是實踐方法也會隨時間改變。1990年代冒起的有機種植概念惹起國際關注，那時還未出現時下的多個議題： 碳足跡、再生能源、生物多樣性、多元與包容或再生農耕。今天，不少消費者和葡萄酒採購商也開始意識到可持續發持和關注酒莊在這方面所下的功夫。
