California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance - CSWA

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California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance - CSWA

CAWG is a public policy advocacy group of winegrape growers, representing more than 60 percent of the total annual grape crush.

The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 2003 by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers. The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) is a San Francisco-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization incorporated in 2003 created by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers to pr

omote the benefits of sustainable winegrowing practices, enlist industry commitment and assist in implementation of the Sustainable Winegrowing Program. A Partnership Between California Vintners and Winegrape Growers

The Sustainable Winegrowing Program was initiated in January 2001 by winegrowing members of Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) to promote vineyard and winery practices that are sensitive to the environment, responsive to the needs and interests of society-at-large, and economically feasible to implement and maintain. Wine Institute is a public policy advocacy group, representing more than 975 California wineries and affiliated businesses responsible for 85 percent of the nation's wine production. Together they developed the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices workbook as the basis for the Sustainable Winegrowing Program, providing a tool for vintners and growers to assess their practices and learn how to improve their overall sustainability. Wine Institute and CAWG formed the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance to assist in program implementation. These organizations will continue to work together to promote sustainable winegrowing practices that benefit the environment, the community and high quality grapes and wine. A Proactive Approach to Sustainability

As the State's population explodes and urban areas encroach on traditionally rural farmland, the California wine community is taking a proactive, precautionary approach to address increasing pressure resulting from public and legislative perceptions, environmental decisions from regulatory and governmental bodies, and other growth-related issues. By adopting and implementing the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices, members of the California wine community can greatly augment their collective and individual ability to respond to these pressures while demonstrating that they are responsible neighbors and committed stewards of the land. A Vintner and Grower Driven Program

Participants at an Ecosystem Management action plan workshop in Madera
A prominent feature of the Sustainable Winegrowing Program is the active participation of vintners and growers throughout all phases and a continued focus on partnerships. In addition to the workbook, another major component of the program is targeted educational events that rely heavily on peer-to-peer education. To learn more about the variety of topics covered in these events, such as integrated pest management and energy efficiency, click here. Another important part of the program is the ability to measure and demonstrate ongoing improvement in the adoption of sustainable practices. The California Wine Community Sustainability Report 2004 is the first time an entire industry has used a common assessment tool to publicly report on the adoption of sustainable practices. The SWP program builds on the impressive work in sustainable practices by many regional winegrowing and vintner associations, private companies, individual viticulturists and winemakers, researchers, government agencies, and innovative regulators involved in the California wine community. Overall leadership and guidance for the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices workbook was provided by a committee from Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers known as the Sustainable Winegrowing Joint Committee. This committee includes more than 50 members of Wine Institute and CAWG that represent all major winegrowing regions and small, medium and large vineyard and winery enterprises as well as representatives from the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) and independent consultants. The participation of government officials, academics, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and community representatives further ensures the integrity and positive outcomes of the program.

02/10/2026

Honored to share some meaningful news from Paris! 🇫🇷✈️

The Calfiornia Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) has received the 2026 V d’Or Award for Best Sustainability Initiative, presented on the eve of Wine Paris. 🏆🍷

The award recognizes CSWA’s Climate Action Toolkit as one of the most impactful and responsible initiatives in the global wine and spirits industry, helping winegrowers and vintners identify and prioritize climate risks while turning commitment into action. 🌍

This honor reflects decades of work in California to make sustainability practical and resilient — shaped by dozens of growers, vintners, and experts to support long-term stewardship. 🍇🚜 We’re proud that this work is rooted in California but available to anyone, anywhere. 📍🌎

Grateful to our fellow nominees, the partners who helped build the Toolkit, and Vinexposium for the recognition. Huge congratulations to Allison Jordan, executive director of CSWA, and her team on this tremendous achievement! 🎉👏

Watch Allison's acceptance speech here:
https://vimeo.com/1163732772

🔗 cswatoolkit.org

11/12/2025

The 2026 California Green Medal Application is Open!

California is widely recognized as a leader in sustainable winegrowing, thanks to its forward-thinking vineyards and wineries setting the standard for environmental stewardship, being a good neighbor and employer and innovative and sustainable business practices. Now in its 12th year, the California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards is the state's highest recognition for sustainability excellence within the wine industry. Deadline is February 6, 2026. Apply TODAY to gain recognition for your commitment to a sustainable future.

👉 Apply Now at greenmedal.org/apply

10/06/2025

📢 New Must-Have Resource for the Wine Industry! 🍷🍇
Ready to turn climate concerns into climate action?

The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance has launched its new Climate Action Toolkit—a comprehensive, living resource designed to meet every grower and vintner whether they are just beginning to grapple with climate action or already have a plan in place.

Developed with an advisory group of industry leaders, scientists, and professionals, this toolkit provides actionable, step-by-step guidance on critical areas, including:

* Why climate action is essential for navigating current and future impacts.
* Identifying and prioritizing climate-smart practices for your Climate Action Plan.
* Implementing practices across your vineyard, winery, and supply chain.
* Engaging your teams, suppliers, and consumers.
* Tracking progress and evolving strategies over time.

Stop grappling and start acting. This resource is ready to help you future-proof your business.

Visit the toolkit at:
www.cswatoolkit.org

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09/17/2025

California Wines is thrilled to partner with the Sustainability in Drinks (SID) conference on October 21st in London! This is a must-attend event for the drinks industry, featuring over 40 expert speakers, including California's own Allison Jordan from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
Join us to learn and connect. Get 25% off your ticket with code SID25 at sustainabilityindrinks.com.

05/15/2025

Growing Wine with Less Water: Insights from the Dry Farming Workshop

Last week at Emeritus Vineyards, a group of growers and vintners walked the rows of Hallberg Ranch and explored how a once-irrigated vineyard is now thriving with dry farming — no irrigation, just deep roots and healthy soils. At this workshop hosted by the California Sustainable Wingrowing Alliance, an incredible panel of growers from Sonoma, Mendocino, Paso Robles and Napa shared their experiences adapting to water scarcity while improving vineyard health and wine quality. From rootstock selection and soil management to the art of cultivating patience, every conversation was a masterclass in working with nature, not against it. The workshop ended with a delicious tasting of dry-farmed wines from Dominus, Frog’s Leap, Tablas Creek, Mariah Vineyards, and Emeritus Vineyards. A BIG thanks to our panelists, winemakers, and everyone who joined us to learn, taste, and connect. Together, we're cultivating a more sustainable future for California wine. 🌞

04/22/2025

Learn how Emeritus Vineyards transitioned a once irrigated vineyard to a dry farmed vineyard during a walking vineyard tour of Hallberg Ranch. Listen to an expert panel of growers who dry farm in diverse regions covering Sonoma, Mendocino, Paso Robles and Napa who will discuss the range of soils and microclimates that are suitable for dry farming winegrapes when specific techniques are used. Taste dry farmed wine in a unique walk around tasting featuring six wineries who share their specific terroir through their dry farmed grapes.

Panel Participants
Michael Frey, Mariah Vineyards
Riggs Lokka, Emeritus Vineyards
Jordan Lonborg,Coastal Vineyard Care Associates
Tod Mostero, Dominus Winery

Wine Tasting Participants
Condor’s Hope Vineyard (Santa Barbara)
Dominus Winery (Napa)
Emeritus Vineyards (Sonoma)
Frog's Leap Winery Winery (Napa)
Mariah Vineyards (Mendocino)
Tablas Creek Vineyard (Paso Robles)

REGISTER: https://cswa.typeform.com/to/ks8x6c02?typeform-source=sustainablewinegrowing.org

04/04/2025

It's official! The 2025 California Green Medal winners have been announced! Congratulations to our winners:

Leader Award: Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery

Environment Award: CHANDON

Community Award: Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Business Award: Nuveen Natural Capital

The California Green Medal is presented by:

California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance - CSWA, California Association of Winegrape Growers, Wine Institute, Lodi Winegrape Commission, Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Green, Sonoma County Winegrowers and Vineyard Team.

The 2025 Judging Panel consisted of:

Allison Jordan, executive director, California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance; Anna Brittain, executive director, Napa Green; Beth Vukmanic, executive director, Vineyard Team; Christopher Chen, integrated vineyard systems advisor, UC Cooperative Extension — North Coast; Cyril Penn, editor-in-chief, Wine Business Monthly; Erin Coburn, co-owner, minimo; Jennifer (Richards) Dieckmann, VP of operations and business development, Sonoma County Winegrowers; Kate Venugopal, director of international marketing, Wine Institute; Natalie Collins, president, California Association of Winegrape Growers; Richard Morley, co-founder, FirstPour and Stephanie Bolton, research and education director, Lodi Winegrape Commission

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WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR ELEVENTH ANNUAL CALIFORNIA GREEN MEDAL: SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING LEADERSHIP AWARDS LEADER AWARD, given to the vineyard or winery that excels…

01/31/2025

The CSWA team had another successful year 👏🏽 at Unified Wine & Grape Symposium.🍷🍇 Executive Director, Allison Jordan, moderated the "Adapting to a Changing Climate: Tools and Resources to Increase Vineyard Resilience and Reduce Vineyard Carbon Footprints" session featuring panelists John Heckman, Nick Filice of Silver Oak Cellars and Steve McIntyre of Monterey Pacific. The rest of the team enjoyed engaging with folks from the booth! 🙌🏽

California Association of Winegrape Growers

01/22/2025

Curious about what is new with CSWA? Let’s chat! Catch us at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium on January 29-30. Register now at unifiedsymposium.org and be sure to swing by our Booth A2501 to meet the team!

01/17/2025

We’re thrilled to see our Executive Director, Allison Jordan, recognized as one of Wine’s Most Inspiring People 2025! 🎉

A visionary leader, global advocate and pragmatic optimist, Allison has spent over two decades driving sustainability in the wine industry. From turning her master’s thesis into the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance’s certification program to leading international conversations on climate resilience, her collaborative approach is shaping the future of sustainable winegrowing. 🍇🌍

As California Association of Winegrape Growers President Natalie Collins perfectly states: “Allison’s work in international markets has brought worldwide recognition to California’s sustainability program as a model for other regions.”

We’re honored to have her at the helm as we continue this journey together.

Congratulations, Allison! 👏

Get the full scoop in the article authored by Laurie Wachter on the Wine Industry Network website.

https://statics.teams.cdn.office.net/evergreen-assets/safelinks/1/atp-safelinks.html

Address

915 L Street, Suite 1190
Sacramento, CA
95814

Telephone

+14153567548

Website

http://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/

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