Number of growers following CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing expands
Clarksburg, CA – Bogle Vineyards has announced that 92% of the grapes used in its wines are from growers that adhere to the CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing, the industry’s most stringent certification program.
“We are proud that our partners are willing to put in the additional time and resources to grow winegrapes in a sustainable manner,” said Ryan Bogle, Vice President of Bogle Vineyards. “It is not easy, but we all understand it is the right thing to do to ensure the sustainability of these fields for generations to come.”
To help offset additional costs of participating in the program, Bogle pays its grower partners a bonus of $25 per ton of grapes delivered to the winery.
“Creating high-quality wine begins with working with each grower to ensure their vineyards produce the highest quality of grapes,” said Chris Smith, Director of Winegrowing for Bogle Vineyards. “Our growers know that using sustainable farming practices will help them continue to produce quality grapes – which our consumers have come to expect each year.”
In addition to the partner growers, Bogle’s own 1,500-plus acres are also certified under the CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing Program. Bogle adopted the CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing in 2009, the first year that the program was made available to growers outside of the Lodi region. The program, administered through LODI RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing, requires a third-party audit as well as extensive reporting by the grower.
“This certification demands the most of us and our growers, but has a positive and lasting impact on the environment,” said Warren Bogle, President of Bogle Vineyards. “We believe strongly that our partner growers become certified under the CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing because of the program’s reputation and stringent standards. We hope to soon have all of our independent growers certified.”
The CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing are the most thoroughly and rigorously vetted set of sustainability practices in California’s viticulture industry. The standards set forth have been peer reviewed by world renowned scientists, members of the academic community, and environmental organizations.
Dr. Stephanie Bolton, LODI RULES Sustainable Winegrowing Director, sees Bogle Vineyards as leading the industry by example. “The Bogle Vineyards Team are true influencers in sustainable winegrowing – they lead by action. If the public knew even a tenth of the initiatives they have in place for the efficient, responsible use of natural resources, they would be amazed. We are lucky to have exceptional role models like Bogle Vineyards in our LODI/CALIFORNIA RULES Community.”
To earn certification from the program, growers are required to follow specific standards for human resources, water efficiency, pest control, soil management and several other key business practices.
About Bogle Vineyards:
The Bogle family has been farming in the Delta since the late-1800s, but the first wine grapes did not appear until 100 years later. The father and son team of Warren and Chris Bogle planted the first 20 acres of vines in Clarksburg, California in 1968. Today, Bogle Vineyards farms 1,600 acres of grapes in the Delta region using the latest sustainable growing techniques and processes. Bogle is one just a handful of wineries that pays its partner growers a per ton bonus for adhering to stringent voluntary sustainable practices and regulations. The success of Bogle over the years is firmly rooted in one thing: the day-to-day involvement of the Bogle family. This is the 6th generation of the Bogle family working in the Delta and with hard work and respect for the land, the Bogle family hopes to ensure another six more generations are able to farm along the Sacramento River. http://www.boglewinery.com/
About CALIFORNIA RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing:
CALIFORNIA RULES is an expansion of the LODI RULES Sustainable Winegrowing Program, America’s original sustainable viticulture program. Created by the Lodi Winegrape Commission and accredited by Protected Harvest, the CALIFORNIA RULES Program promotes sustainable management of the entire vineyard ecosystem, including soils and water, business practices, human resources, and pest control with an emphasis on reducing pesticide risk to farm workers, consumers, small aquatic invertebrates, birds, and bees. Each of the 120+ farming practice standards is measurable, auditable, and addresses at least one sustainability aspect (environmental health, social equity, or economic viability). Most CALIFORNIA RULES winegrowers voluntarily choose to farm sustainably because they believe in the value of the program. Their generational efforts in responsible viticulture are reflected in the high quality of CALIFORNIA RULES sustainable grapes.
For more information about the CALIFORNIA RULES Sustainable Winegrowing Program, visit lodirules.com.
