California Wines Get "Down to Earth" with New April Celebration

Month-long Campaign – Coinciding with Earth Day – Highlights State's Sustainable Winegrowing and Winemaking

SAN FRANCISCO, March 26, 2012 -- California is more than cool – it's Down to Earth! A new, month-long celebration, "California Wines: Down to Earth" shines a spotlight on sustainability. From "green wine trails" and Earth Day wine and food festivals to special eco-tours in the vineyard, California's winemakers and winegrowers are offering a wide variety of fun, sustainably-focused festivities throughout the month of April, which can be found at www.discovercaliforniawines.com/d2e.

Down to Earth Month events will be engaging and meaningful experiences that let wine lovers get down to earth – connecting to the land and the people who make the wines they enjoy in a manner that benefits the environment and the community.

"These experiences make April a great time to learn about our California wines and the environmentally and community-friendly practices used to grow and produce them," said Robert P. (Bobby) Koch, president and CEO of Wine Institute. "More than two-thirds of California's winegrape growers and winemakers have adopted our sustainable program and participation is increasing, making ours one of the most widely adopted in the wine world."

Wine Institute created "California Wines: Down to Earth" month to highlight California's leadership in environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing and winemaking practices – and the people and places behind them. The campaign – held the same month as Earth Day – is designed to inform and engage policy leaders, media, wine trade and consumers about the California wine community's major commitment to environmental and community stewardship.

"Sustainability is a vital part of the long-term future of California wine which contributes to California's economy, attracts 20 million tourists annually, generates 820,000 jobs nationwide of which 330,000 are in California, and allows vintners and growers to pass on their farms and wineries to future generations," said Koch.

California is a world leader in sustainable winegrowing practices. The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) program has 1,700 wineries and vineyards that have evaluated the sustainability of their operations with CSWA's Code of best practices – representing 70 percent of California's wine acreage and 65 percent of the state's wine shipments. Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing and other statewide and regional programs such as Fish Friendly Farming, Bay Area Green Business Program, Lodi Rules, Napa Green and Sustainability in Practice (SIP) play an important role in the California wine community's efforts to produce high quality wine that is environmentally sound, economically feasible and socially equitable. To learn more, visit: www.discovercaliforniawines.com/d2e.

SOURCE Wine Institute