Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/101495
GRAPEGROWING W&V: Some vintners who follow organic or Biodynamic practices���as well as some writers and consumers���have criticized sustainable programs as ���greenwashing.��� Given the fact that Snoqualmie is also organic, how do you respond to this criticism? Andersen: As I mentioned earlier, our focus at Snoqualmie is on improving our practices to enhance quality and sustainability. When we tell our story, it is about the journey we travel along the sustainability continuum, sharing both our successes and our challenges. We want our customers to know we are making efforts to be ecologically sensitive and socially responsible. I don���t think it is greenwashing to say what you do as long as you are also doing what you say. If you are required to prove this, then certification is necessary. Winerywise, a grass-roots effort W inerywise, the Washington guide to sustainable winery practices, was developed as the winery companion to Vinewise, a self-assessment program for sustainable viticulture, created by the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers. Snoqualmie Vineyards winemaker Joy Andersen chairs the Winerywise program. ���Much of Winerywise���s content came about through grassroots efforts while we were looking for funding,��� Andersen explains. The Washington Wine Industry Foundation eventually received funding from a Washington state Department of Agriculture specialty crops grant, and an online program was developed. The Winerywise guide, Andersen says, ���provides wineries with the tools to evaluate their business and process practices, compare these practices to industry standards of sustainability and then implement strategies to improve their management practices.��� L.D. K K evin C evin C ruff P ruff P hotography hotography At Snoqualmie Vineyards in Washington���s Yakima Valley, winemaker Joy Andersen combines organic and sustainable practices such as (left to right) eschewing synthetic vineyard inputs, implementing an expansive recycling program and enlisting reusable pallets rather than traditional wood ones. W&V: Is it easier to pursue organic and sustainable vineyard practices in Washington state than in some other wineproducing areas? Andersen: While still a challenge, certified organic growing tends to be a little easier in eastern Washington because the hot, dry climate helps out with disease management, and our cold winters and predominantly virgin soils aid in pest management. Depending on the definition, sustainable production is pretty much the same in all areas���just with a different set of challenges. W&V: Are there some aspects of sustainability that you���ve found particularly challenging? 70 W in e s & V i ne s JANUARY 20 13 Andersen: By far the most difficult aspect of ���sustainability��� is definition! From a practice standpoint, very few changes in our vineyard operations were required���perhaps most challenging was the documentation and preparation for inspectors. In the winery, the most challenging aspect is bringing new personnel and temporary workers into the fold���conservation as a way of work life. We are also a bit challenged by our wastewater system, which was in place when we purchased the facility. We are currently exploring wastewater systems like Geobags and Lyve to achieve better management practices. W&V: How has Ste. Michelle Wine Estates gotten its growers on board with sustainable practices? Andersen: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates has been actively promoting sustainable winegrowing for decades through cooperative research, leading the development of programs such as Vinewise, being an example by obtaining LIVE certification for company-owned vineyards and engaging our growers in one-on-one conversations about their practices through our viticulture staff. Approximately 11% of Snoqualmie���s fruit comes from SMWE-owned vineyards. A resident of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Laurie Daniel has been a journalist for more than 25 years. She has been writing about wine for publications for nearly 15 years and has been a Wines & Vines contributor since 2006. SEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #1624 u