California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance

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"I'm a big fan of composting. Right now I'm using green waste from nearby cities here in southern California. It's a great rural-urban partnership - I'm helping them reduce waste in the landfills and they spread it for me free so the economics work. The best part is that this gives me uniformity in the vineyard which translates into uniformity in fruit quality."

Ben Drake

CSWA Board Member - Temecula Winegrower

Home > About SWP > California Wine Community

Wine is a signature product and key to the cultural and physical landscape of California. Dating back to the late 1700’s, the wine community is intricately woven into the state’s history and economic vitality.

		4,600 growers farm 527,000 acres of winegrapes in 46 of California’s 58 counties, though vineyards cover less than one percent of the state’s terrain

		California's 2,275 wineries produce over 90 percent of U.S. wine

		The wine industry contributes significantly to the state’s economy through jobs, tourism and taxes.

Being good stewards of the land and good neighbors are important business and personal values in the wine community. Most owners and employees live at or near their wineries and vine yards and strive to maintain a healthy and beautiful environment for themselves, their neighbors and wine country visitors. They work to produce high quality grapes and wine using environmentally-friendly and socially responsible practices. These mainly family-owned businesses want to pass on their legacy to future generations.

Because of their connection to the environment and community, and their commitment to the future, winegrowers understand that decisions made now affect the long-term sustainability of their vineyards and wineries. The Sustainable Winegrowing Program grew out of this tradition.