April is Down to Earth Month!

April is California Wines: Down to Earth Month and it’s an ideal time to check out earth-friendly Temecula Valley wines made with sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices.

Wineries from around the state are celebrating Down to Earth Month throughout April.  Here in Temecula, the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association is hosting its 32nd Annual Grape Day on April 23.  The event fortifies the commitment of the local wine industry to keep abreast of current – and new – efforts and studies conducted throughout the state aimed at keeping the wine industry sustainably conscious.  We invite anyone interested in winemaking and winegrape growing to join us.

Being good neighbors and good stewards of the land are important values in the California wine community. The state’s growers and vintners have been using sustainable winegrowing practices for decades, with educational efforts beginning as early as the late 1950’s. Today, the Temecula Valley is home to three wineries who have made an even stronger commitment to sustainability and transparency.  Through self-assessment and certification programs created by the Wine Institute, the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery, Ponte Family Estate Winery and South Coast Winery Resort & Spa have each conquered the next step, which is to become a Certified Sustainable Winery.  And more are on their way to certification!

Some super, easy to spot examples of sustainable practices in Temecula Valley include:

• The use of beneficial birds to control pests (look for hawk perches and owl boxes)
• Cover crops (no, we didn’t forget to mow between the vines!)
• Drip irrigation systems to manage and monitor water use (as well as deficit irrigation techniques)
• Composting:  the recycling of grape “must”, skins and seeds back into the vineyards as fertilizer.

Come check it out.  And if you can’t make it here in person, just open a bottle of Temecula Valley wine and toast our commitment from green grapes to glass!