is a nonprofit program that was created by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers. CCSW prides themselves on their commitment to creating a more sustainable wine industry, offering workshops, handbooks and other training resources to vineyards and farms that wish to adopt more eco-friendly agricultural systems. The alliance also offers a certification program entitled Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW), which provides official sustainability verifications to vineyards, farms and other wine producers that have met rigorous environmental requirements.

A business or farm can only be certified through CCSW once they have demonstrated evidence of sustainability in key areas such as water and energy use, soil health, habitat preservation and human resources. Third-party auditors conduct assessments on these farms on an annual basis, ensuring the business stays transparent regarding their resources and operations so that consumers can be guaranteed the most sustainable wines.

LEARN MORE: Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing 

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