SIP Certification

Sustainability in Practice

In September 2012, just prior to harvest, our team received notification that two of our estate vineyards were bestowed the SIP Certified seal of “sustainability in practice” from the Central Coast Vineyard Team. These vineyards include the 148 acre Bootjack Ranch and the 46 acre Heart Hill Vineyard, both located in the Paso Robles AVA.

Our Vineyard Manager Jason Yeager worked to gain the accreditation from the Central Coast Vineyard Team, the organization responsible for assessing and bestowing this highly regarded certification to vineyards and wineries throughout the state of California.  For Yeager, this accreditation was achieved with no extra effort as sustainable farming practices were already in place here at Niner Wine Estates.

SIP Certification speaks to the grower’s commitment to protect both natural and human resources. It is a holistic approach to farming where all components – energy conservation, air quality, water quality, habitat conservation, business stability and social responsibility – are all taken into account to manage the farm, promoting excellent land stewardship so that future generations can reap the rewards of the current generations’ sustainable farming practices.

A few examples of how we implement these sustainable practices at Niner Wine Estates include the use of owl boxes to promote biodiversity in the vineyard, the use of natural resources like hay bales and cover crops to help manage soil erosion, the use of a sophisticated rainfall catchment system to capture rain water for irrigation purposes as well as introducing beneficiary insects into the vineyard to help manage pests safely, thus reducing our use of pesticides and other commercial chemicals.

To learn more about the Central Coast Vineyard Team and SIP Certification and how it differs from Organic Certification or Biodynamic Certification, please visit sipcertified.org.