Sustainability in the Wine Industry

“We cannot hope to create a sustainable culture with any but sustainable souls.” 

~ Derrick Jensen, Endgame, Vol. 1: The Problem of Civilization

With over 1,000,000 acres of American soil dedicated to vineyards, sustaining the land has become a priority for an increasing number of viticulturists. According to the World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainability ensures that humanity “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Sustainable Development, par. 1). To do this, those who work the land must do so with, what the Iroquois Indians coined, the “next seven generations in mind”. 

Sustainability in the wine industry takes on many forms, from water conservation to natural pest control methods to alternative power sources. According to the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), a nonprofit organization created to promote sustainable winegrowing practices, identifies 227 “best practices for the environment and communities from grapes to glass”. No matter what practices, or how many, a vineyard implements, taking any steps towards sustainability is a step in the right direction! 

J. Lohr: A legacy in California's Wine Industry

Visit J. Lohr's website

"As a company, it is important to embrace sustainability on a cultural level, and once you start thinking in this way, you will find more and more opportunities to make positive changes," ~ Kathryn Teissier du Cros – J. Lohr, Sustainability Coordinator

The Birth of a Legacy

Forty years ago, Jerry Lohr planted more than just wine grapes on California’s Central Coast; he planted the seeds that would become a family legacy. A pioneer of California’s wine industry, Jerry set down roots on the Central Coast in the late 1970s. With a farming background to spur his passion and engineering expertise to drive his research, Jerry took a chance on the untapped terroir, now-acclaimed as one of the premier winegrowing regions of the wine industry.  

Reaching Out Through Facebook: How Peloton Cellars uses Facebook to “Keep in Touch”

 “I'd say the majority of those who attended our Grand Opening were informed through FB (Facebook). That made a huge impact. I can reach out to those who I don't see nor communicate with on a regular basis.”

Trish Kesselring

Peloton Cellars

Avila Beach, CA

Why the name Peloton?

French for “group”, how does a winery get the name Peloton? Founded by four friends who share a love of wine rivaled only by their love of cycling, Peloton Cellars marries the two worlds in creative ways.  Using the winery’s tasting room as a canvas, Peloton Cellars brings its love of wine and cycling to the forefront of its operation, providing décor to please the eye while the palette feasts upon its wine. From the winery's name, French for a close-knit pack of bicyclists, to the cycling quotes found on each finely-crafted bottle of wine, you are sure to appreciate Peloton’s passion for wine and cycling.

“Fate Brought Them Together”: How the owners of Ampelos Cellars became hands-on viticulturists

“You’re worried about how you’re going to feel at the end of your life? What about right now? Live. Right this minute. That’s where the joy is at.” ~ Abigail Thomas

It was as if Angela Thomas were speaking those words directly to Peter and Rebecca Work, the founders of Ampelos Cellars. Having purchased 82 acres in the Santa Rita Hills appellation in 1999, Peter and Rebecca continued their “corporate” lives, leaving their son to oversee the start-up process of the vineyard. But fate would have other plans.

After narrowly evading the Twin Towers tragedy in 2001, Peter and Rebecca decided it was time to start living the life they wanted, “right this minute”. And so, they moved to Santa Ynez, where they learned hands-on how to “nurture the soil and prune the vines".

How Tinhorn Creek stays “Mainstream” through “Twitter-stream"

“We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born.” ~ Carl Jung

Tucked away in the rolling hills of British Columbia, Tinhorn Creek stays “Mainstream” through an established presence on “Twitter-stream”.

Desert Vineyards Provide a Unique Terroir for Tinhorn’s Wines

            One wouldn't expect to see regal grapevines mingling with desert-dwelling sagebrush, but at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, the two flourish side-by-side like old friends.  Set atop a hillside in the middle of British Columbia’s famed Golden Mile wine-growing district, Tinhorn Creek Vineyard and Winery crafts quality wines from grapes harvested from their 150-acre vineyards.  Planted on two distinct benches, the Diamondback Vineyard and the Tinhorn Creek Vineyard produce grapes of both the red and white varietals, allowing the vineyard’s winemaker, Sandra Oldfield, to harvest only the best fruit for the winery’s esteemed Pinot Gris, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Gewürztraminer vintages.  Each of Tinhorn Creek’s wines boasts the unique terroir of its desert topography.

A History of Social Networking and Its Influence on Social Media

          In the early morning hours of March 4, 1971, I was born.  The same year saw the birth of email - two computers sitting side-by-side communicating for the first time.  Not as Earth-shattering as the first images of man walking on the moon two years earlier but the implications of this seemingly insignificant moment would prove to be the spark that ignited the launch of social networking and, ultimately, social media as we know it today.

Photo Credit: Jackie's Page

Social Media & Social Networking Defined

Many argue as to whether this moment in history truly was the birth of social networking. To answer this, we first need take a look at what the term “social networking” means and why it isn’t synonymous with “social media”. Social networking is the act of engaging with like-minded people with the purpose of sharing knowledge, while social media provides the vehicle for us to share this information. Confusing? Here’s another distinction between the two: try to view social networking as a verb, denoting what we do online, and social media as a noun, the network of online platforms that enable us to do what we do online.

"In the Land of Lynfred": How Lynfred Winery promotes its brand awareness through blogging

Lynfred Winery, Roselle, Illinois

“My entire blog ‘In the Land of Lynfred’ (a word play on ‘In the Land of Lincoln’ since we are in Illinois ) is really about the lifestyle that comes with working at and being a patron of your local winery – we’re fun, a little kooky and very approachable.”

Christina Anderson-Heller, Marketing Director
Lynfred Winery
Roselle, Illinois 

A True “Mom-and-Pop” operation becomes a nationally renowned winery

             A pioneer of the Illinois wine industry, Fred Koehler made his debut batch of wine in the basement of his Roselle home in 1975.  With his ingenuity along with the creativity and encouragement of his late wife, Lynn, Fred continued to craft quality wines in their renovated basement for four more years. When the “Mom-and-Pop” operation outgrew the couple’s basement, Fred and Lynn opened up Illinois’ first official winery, Lynfred Winery. A clever play on the couple’s names, Lynfred ensured the legacy of its founders would live on for years to come.