Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery has received renewal of CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE status by meeting the requirements set by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) and audited at three years.
Ramona Ranch was the first and is still the only winery in San Diego County to be designated Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE) as a result of meeting a comprehensive set of standards for “environmental stewardship, conservation of natural resources and socially equitable business practices” set by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA).
Ramona Ranch has now completed Year Three certification requirements for renewal for both its winery and vineyard by:
- Ensuring all prerequisite action plans were complete and all year three prerequisite scores achieved.
- Meeting the minimum score for targets.
- Recording metrics information for annual nitrogen and water use for the past year.
- Ensuring no Red List materials were used for pest management.
- Ensuring the winery is meeting existing requirements for self-assessments, prerequisites, continuous improvement and action planning for the coming year.
CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE is an outgrowth of the Sustainable Winegrowing Program, a free, educational program initiated by the Wine Institute and California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) in 2002 to provide educational information and encouragement of sustainability. This third-party certification program was developed by the Sustainable Winegrowing Joint Committee—comprised of 50 grower and vintner members of the Wine Institute and CAWG—and sustainability certification experts and launched in 2010. Input was also solicited from other industry and external stakeholders.
To qualify for sustainable status Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery had to: complete an annual self-assessment of 140 vineyard & 104 winery best practices; meet 58 required prerequisite practices for vineyards, and 37 required prerequisite practices for wineries; comply with “CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE” list requirements; meet sustainability performance metrics for water, energy, nitrogen and GHGs; demonstrate continuous improvement in the adoption of sustainable practices; undergo an annual audit and submit an audit report each year; and complete a Chain of Custody audit.
Ramona Ranch, a San Diego County vineyard and winery, is located in the heart of the Ramona Valley AVA (American Viticulture Area). They strive to produce balanced wines that will stand the test of time, that are enjoyable now and become more intense as the years go by. They have focused on sustainability since they moved to Ramona in 2004. Throughout their vineyards are wind-turbines, solar panels, owl boxes, and insectary, bringing in beneficial bugs and birds to improve the bio-diversity of the farm, which was recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. With a natural riparian area, the quail coveys are thriving, along with a family of California Greater Roadrunners, red-tail and cooper hawks, beneficial snakes like the coastal rosy boa, and the occasional golden eagle or snowy egret.
Their wines are produced from Estate and local Ramona vineyards that they have personally selected for the quality fruit due to the meticulous attention of each grower. Tasting is available for their award-winning wines, including the Double-Gold, Best of Class Estate Tannat.
Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery is located at 23578 Highway 78, Ramona, CA 92065. (760) 789-1622. Open for tasting: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday-by appointment only.
For additional information on Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery, go to: http://ramonaranchwines.com
