07 Apr Please The Palate Pick of the Week: California Wines – Down to Earth Month

It is April and that means it is Earth Month. In fact, 2018 brings us the 48th Anniversary of Earth Month. It is also the 7th annual California Wines: Down to Earth Month and the 15th year of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). Focused on earth friendly wines that are made with sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices, California Wines: Down to Earth Month is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Currently, there are 1,099 vineyards certified and 127 wineries certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. There was more than a 46% increase in the number of Certified Sustainable vineyards in 2017 and more than 20% increase in the number of Certified Sustainable wineries in 2017. Of the 602,000 total California winegrape acres, 22 percent (130,375 acres) are certified sustainable. Of the 286 million wine cases produced in California, 74 percent (211.5 million) are made in certified sustainable wineries. 2017 also marked the introduction of the first Certified Sustainable Wine Logo which has begun appearing on some wine labels and will continue to appear in more in the coming years. And, to top it off, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance is part of the Disney Food & Wine Festival 2018. This is the first year that they are a part of this 42-day festival that celebrates the best of California and runs from March 2 – April 12. Throughout the month of April for California Wines: Down to Earth Month, and beyond, seek out wineries that believe in sustainable practices. It is good for the wine and it is good for us and our future!