Pioneering sustainable viticulture benefits us all, and it’s happening in the relatively young wine-growing region of California. Everyone’s a winner, baby! The Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards 2026 are the crowning glory of their work. They were recently presented to four wineries. We’ve dug out a few interesting facts to help you get to know them better.
Text: Marjolein Schuman | Images: Unsplash, Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford Van Clif
What exactly is sustainable viticulture?
Allison Jordan of the Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance talks about the twelfth edition of the award: ‘This year’s winners not only grow exceptional grapes and produce fantastic wine, but also do so whilst conserving natural resources, protecting the environment and enriching the lives of workers and communities in the wine region.’
What’s that grazing over there in the St. Supéry Estate Vineyards?
We’d already seen it in the photos of this ranch in Napa Valley: hundreds of sheep roam here as natural weed controllers. And the St. Supéry winery is powered by solar energy. Alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, they’ve promoted Sauvignon Blanc rather than Napa’s best-selling Chardonnay.
What does ‘homemade’ mean at Clif Family Farm?
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