New York Wine & Grape Foundation

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New York Sustainable Winegrowing

New York Sustainable Winegrowing is a comprehensive program that includes educational events and resources as well as an official certification process for vineyards who are seeking to advance their environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Certification is based on science backed regionally defined standards and independent third-party audits so you can feel confident in the wine you are drinking.

Look for our Trustmark at vineyards and wineries and on bottles in 2024 to ensure that the wine you are enjoying is environmentally sound, socially equitable, and financially sustainable. 

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Certification Standards

Certification is based on maintaining a minimum score in the VineBalance workbook. This workbook is designed to provide grape growers in New York and other regions of the Northeast with guidance in evaluating and adopting best management practices that minimize environmental impacts, reduce economic risks, and protect worker health and safety. Standards in the workbook are set by a panel of experts including academics, industry members, and extension specialists focusing on practices relevant to New York grape production. Annually, these standards undergo review and revision to ensure they are up to date with science based best practices and economic feasibility. Currently the workbook features nine objectives.  

  1. To promote the use of practices that reduce reliance on off-farm inputs. 
  2. To build, regenerate, and conserve healthy soils for future generations. 
  3. To protect surrounding reservoirs and waterways from pollution. 
  4. To improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
  5. To conserve natural resources, reduce waste streams, and recycle. 
  6. To encourage healthy ecosystems, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat. 
  7. To increase climate resiliency and promote climate-smart farming. 
  8. To provide education and pathways for continuous improvement. 
  9. To foster a socially equitable and economically viable industry. 

Are You a Grape Grower Wanting to Join Our Sustainable Winegrowing Program?

LEARN MORE HERE

Certified Vineyards

The current list of vineyards achieving certification are as follows:

Finger Lakes

  • Airy Acres Vineyard*
  • Anthony Road Wine Company/Martini Vineyards*
  • Atwater Vineyards*
  • Boundary Breaks*
  • Buttonwood Grove Winery*
  • Buzzard Crest Vineyards/Barrington Cellars*
  • Chateau Frank*
  • Doyle Vineyard Management (Caywood)*
  • Doyle Vineyard Management (Dresden)*
  • Doyle Vineyard Management (Pulleney)*
  • Dr. Konstantin Frank Eric Volz Vineyard*
  • Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery*
  • Forge Cellars*
  • Fox Run Vineyards*
  • Heart & Hands Wine Company*
  • Hermann J. Wiemer*
  • Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard*
  • Heron Hill Winery*
  • Hillick and Hobbs*
  • Hosmer Winery/Patricia Verona*
  • Hunt Country Vineyards*
  • Ingle Vineyard
  • Kashong Glen Vineyards*
  • Keuka Lake Vineyards West*
  • Keuka Lake Vineyards East*
  • Lake Road Vineyards*
  • Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars*
  • New Vines Winery*
  • Ravines Wines Cellars Geneva*
  • Ravines Wines Cellars Hammondsport*
  • Ravines Wines Cellars Ovid*

Finger Lakes (con’t)

  • Rock House Vineyards*
  • Sawmill Creek Vineyards*
  • Silver Thread Vineyard*
  • Standing Stone Vineyards*
  • Thirsty Owl Wine Company*
  • Three Brothers Wineries*
  • Treleaven Wines/King Ferry Vineyards*
  • Vineyard View Winery/Crooked Vines*
  • Wagner Vineyards*

Hudson Valley

  • Benmarl Winery*
  • Clover Pond Vineyard*
  • Fjord Vineyard*
  • South Dominion Vineyard
  • Whitecliff Vineyard*

Long Island

  • Ev&Em Vineyards

Champlain Valley

  • Four Maples Vineyard & Winery*

Niagara

  • Arrowhead Spring Vineyard
  • Chateau Niagara Winery*

*Vineyards marked with an asterisk are also members of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

Related News
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$47,500 Value Added Producers Grant Will Be Used to Bring International Attention to the New York Sustainable Wine Growing Program

September 29, 2023

The New York Wine and Grape Foundation (NYWGF) recently received a $47,500 Value Added Producers Grant (VAPG) from the USDA to further develop the marketing behind the New York Sustainable Winegrowing program. New York Sustainable Wine Growing certifies vineyards throughout the state that exceed the standards set forth in all 9 objectives in VineBalance. Certified vineyards exemplify the principles of responsible agriculture that are necessary for the longevity of the wine industry. Funds from the

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Unveils New Logos, Resources to Promote State’s Unique Wine Regions and Commitment to Sustainable Winegrowing

September 19, 2023

September 20th, 2023 – Penn Yan, NY — The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to announce the culmination of its Brand Expansion project in partnership with Born Collective. The goal of this initiative, which began in April 2022, was to create tools and resources designed to increase the recognition of the New York wine and grape industry to global trade, media, and consumer audiences. NYWGF is now proud to provide a

New York Wine & Grape Foundation and Porto Protocol Collaborate to Host Panel series at Climate Week NYC

August 29, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Valerie Venezia-RossPhone: 1 (518) 229-3765Email: [email protected] [PENN YAN, NY August 29, 2023] – With the launch of the New York Sustainable Winegrowing program, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is working to develop a local wine industry that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable for future generations. The Porto Protocol Foundation’s leadership in international collaboration on sustainable wine issues highlights the global impact of the climate crisis and the importance

2024 Unity Awards: Sustainability Recipient - Rich Olsen-Harbich

Rich Olsen-Harbich began pioneering sustainable winegrowing techniques decades before it was cool.

“This Sustainability Award really validates what we’ve been doing at Bedell Cellars since 1980,” Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Bedell Cellars, notes. “Sustainability is a zero-sum game. It is a pathway that you walk on, without an end in sight. You always want to find a way to be even more sustainable.”.

The Sustainability Award recognizes an organization or winery that has exemplified sustainable practices.

NYWGF is a Founding Member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable

The Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) is an independent, nonprofit, multi-stakeholder initiative to unite the international wine community around a consensus definition of sustainable wine. The mission of the SWR is to develop guidelines and best practices to advance sustainability in all aspects of wine production and trade. As a Founding Member, the Foundation will join with sister programs to share expertise and develop a global sustainability standard for wine. For more information, visit this link.

porto protocol logo

NYWGF Joins Porto Protocol

We are thrilled to announce that the New York Wine & Grape Foundation has joined the Porto Protocol. The Porto Protocol Foundation is an open and dynamic platform of ideas and workable solutions to combat climate change. The mission of the Porto Protocol Foundation is to drive collaborative action by bringing together a network of change makers and workable climate solutions for and within the wine world. For more information, visit this link.

The NYWGF Sustainability Program would not be possible without support from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, USDA Rural Development, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority, Yates County, New York State Wine Grape Growers, and John Ingle of Ingle Vineyard and Heron Hill Winery.