Dana Nigro, Managing Editor of Wine Spectator (far right) with Stuart Spencer and Dr. Stephanie Bolton of the Lodi Winegrape Commission. Photo by Lodi Grower Tegan Passalacqua.
MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2024. BY CALIFORNIA SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING ALLIANCE.
Over 200 participants attended the two-day US Sustainable Winegrowing Summit held in Lodi, California, on April 30 and May 1, 2024. Guests came from all across the US and from more than ten countries outside of America, with some logging in virtually.
It was inspiring to see so many individuals interested in and dedicated to our sustainable winegrowing industry. We give a sincere thanks to all of our speakers for sharing their stories and expertise, our partners for helping to organize the summit, and to our sponsors for their generous support.
For Lodi, a big highlight of the summit was hearing Dana Nigro, Managing Editor of Wine Spectator, open the summit with a keynote speech on the history of sustainable winegrowing. Never before was such a thoughtful and accurate account of sustainable winegrowing history presented by someone from the media.
Below are select video recordings from the summit. Thank you to all attendees, speakers, field trip hosts and sponsors for making the 2024 summit a huge success!
Summit Welcome and the Unified Definition of Sustainable Winegrowing
Speaker: Allison Jordan, Executive Director, California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
Importance of Sustainability for the US Wine Industry
Speaker: Robert P. Koch, President and CEO, Wine Institute
Consumer Perceptions on the Importance of Sustainability
Speaker: Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President of Wine Market Council, Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant
Climate Change Impacts and Actionable Strategies for Adaptation and Mitigation
There is a compelling need for action to address the impacts of climate change on the U.S. wine industry. Dr. Steve Ostoja, Director of the California Climate Hub, provides an overview of the latest science on climate change impacts related to viticulture, digs deeper into the implications of the science and discusses what actions can be taken by winegrowers to adapt and prepare. He also leads a conversation with winery representatives dedicated to climate action about how to identify and prioritize climate-smart practices, providing concrete ideas for how to implement practices that help adapt to changes and achieve greenhouse gas reductions.
Moderator: Dr. Steve Ostoja, Director, California Climate Hub
Speakers:
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Dr. Timothy E. Martinson, Senior Extension Associate Emeritus, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
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Will Drayton, Director of Technical Viticulture, Sustainability and Research, Treasury Wine Estates
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Pam S. Turner, Co-Owner, Ambar Vineyards, and Vinovate
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Molly Sheppard, Assistant Winemaker and Environmental Manager, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard and Winery
Sustainable Supply Chains: The Power of Sustainable Purchasing and Wine Packaging
Sustainable purchasing can influence suppliers and vendors and lead to a greater positive impact. By putting into place sustainable purchasing policies, vineyards and wineries can amplify their commitment to sustainability within their supply chain. Hear from vineyards and wineries about how they put sustainable purchasing policies into place, how they in turn influenced their vendors’ practices or approaches and how wine packaging decisions are an important piece of sustainable supply chains. A responsible packaging supplier also shares how they communicate their sustainability commitment to their customers and how they support wineries in their own storytelling.
Moderator: Dr. John Heckman, Wine Sustainability Expert, Independent Consultant
Speakers:
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Meredith McGough, Director of Winemaking and Supply Chain, Union Wine Company
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Patrick Rawn, Owner, Vineyard Manager, Two Mountain Vineyards and Winery
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Remi Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Domaine Carneros
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Ryan Norton, Commercial Director, Vinventions
Sustainability Storytelling: Creating Content, Visitor Experiences and Sales
Sustainability is complex and comprehensive, and therefore communicating about a vineyard or winery’s sustainability commitment can be challenging. In this session, Sandy Skees — author of “Purposeful Brands: How Purpose and Sustainability Drive Brand Value and Positive Change” and EVP, global purpose and impact practice lead at Porter Novelli — discusses how to leverage your sustainability work in communications and storytelling. In a follow-up discussion, wineries and communications experts share how they incorporate sustainability in their content, visitor experiences, and sales meetings.
Moderator: Sandy Skees, Author and EVP, Global Purpose and Impact Practice Lead, Porter Novelli
Speakers:
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Richard Morley, Director, First Pour
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Emily Ely, Marketing Director, Wölffer Estate Vineyard
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Ann Wallace, Director of Sustainability Sales Integration, Jackson Family Wines
The People Pillar of Sustainability: Inclusive Workplaces and Hospitality
Social sustainability is about how businesses impact people, including employees and customers. While environmental aspects of sustainability are often well understood, there is growing interest in understanding of the social side of sustainability. Stakeholders are increasingly interested in worker health and safety, diverse and inclusive workplaces, hospitality and marketing. This panel of experts and wineries explore these issues related to social sustainability and provide actionable examples of how to further invest in elevating the importance of social issues in the sustainability conversation.
Moderator: Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President of Wine Market Council, Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant
Speakers:
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Dr. Monique Bell, Associate Professor of Marketing, Fresno State
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Heather Pyle Lucas, Owner and Winemaker, Lucas Winery, Tangles Wine and Member of Lodi Appellation Inclusion Collective
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Julia Oudeh, Senior Director, Sustainability and Social Impact, Liquor Control Board of Ontario
THE 2024 US SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING SUMMIT WAS HOSTED BY
THANK YOU SPONSORS!
2024 Platinum Sponsor
2024 Gold Sponsors
2024 Silver Sponsors
2024 Supporter Sponsors
2024 Media Sponsors
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For more information on the wines of Lodi, visit the Lodi Winegrape Commission’s consumer website, lodiwine.com.
For more information on the LODI RULES Sustainable Winegrowing Program, visit lodigrowers.com/standards or lodirules.org.
