3rd U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Summit | April 30 - May 1, 2024

Two hundred and fifty growers, vintners, regional winery and vineyard associations, trade, media and others committed to sustainability gathered virtually and in-person in Lodi, California on April 30 - May 1, 2024, for the 3rd U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Summit. Attendees gained cutting-edge insights on sustainable and climate beneficial practices being adopted in vineyards and wineries across the U.S. and in the broader value chain, inspiration on ways to share their sustainability stories with stakeholders and ample opportunity to mingle with others engaged in the discussion of sustainability in the wine industry. Gain deeper insights in the following pages of this Summit Highlights — including quotes from speakers and panelists and key takeaways.

SUMMIT AGENDA
Day 1: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Sustainable Vineyard and Winery Tour
- Bus departs Wine & Roses
- Welcome to Lodi and Introduction to LODI RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing
  - Stuart Spencer, Executive Director, Lodi Winegrape Commission
  - Stephanie Bolton, Research and Education Director, Sustainable Winegrowing Director, Lodi Winegrape Commission
- KG Vineyards
  - Madelyn Kolber, Owner and Sustainability Director
  - Ben Kolber, Owner and Chief Operating Officer
- LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards
  - Aaron Lange, Vice President of Vineyard Operations
U.S. Sustainable Wine Walk-Around Tasting and Reception at Wine & Roses
Welcome Dinner and Keynote Address
Dana Nigro, Senior Editor, Wine Spectator

Day 2: May 1, 2025

Summit Welcome
Allison Jordan, Executive Director, California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance

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Importance of Sustainability for the U.S. Wine Industry
Robert P. Koch, President and CEO, Wine Institute

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Consumer Perceptions on the Importance of Sustainability
Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President, Wine Market Council, Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant

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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, provided an overview of the latest science on climate change impacts related to viticulture, dug deeper into the implications of the science and discussed what actions can be taken by winegrape growers to adapt and prepare. Dr. Steve Ostoja led a conversation with several wineries dedicated to climate action about how to identify and prioritize climate smart practices. The conversation provided 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:

Timothy E. Martinson, Ph. D., Senior Extension Associate Emeritus, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Will Drayton, Director Technical Viticulture, Sustainability and Research, Treasury Wine Estates
Pam S. Turner, Co-Owner, Ambar Vineyards and Vinovate
Molly Sheppard, Assistant Winemaker and Environmental Manager, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard and Winery

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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 shared 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:

Meredith McGough, Director of Winemaking and Supply Chain, Union Wine Company
Patrick Rawn, Owner, Vineyard Manager, Two Mountain Vineyards and Winery
Remi Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Domaine Carneros
Ryan Norton, Commercial Director, Vinventions

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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 — discussed how to leverage your sustainability work in communications and storytelling. In a follow-up discussion, wineries and communications experts shared how they incorporate sustainability in their content, visitor experiences and sales meeting.

Moderator: Sandy Skees, Author and EVP, Global Purpose and Impact Practice Lead, Porter Novelli
Speakers:

Richard Morley, Director, First Pour
Emily Ely, Marketing Director, Wölffer Estate Vineyard
Ann Wallace, Director of Sustainability Sales Integration, Jackson Family Wines

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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 and understanding on 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 explored these issues related to social sustainability and provided actionable examples of how to further invest in elevating the importance of social issues in the sustainability conversation.

Moderator: Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President, Wine Market Council, Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant
Speakers:

Dr. Monique Bell, Associate Professor of Marketing, Fresno State
Heather Pyle Lucas, Owner and Winemaker, Lucas Winery, Tangles Wine and Member of Lodi Appellation Inclusion Collective
Julia Oudeh, Senior Director, Sustainability and Social Impact, Liquor Control Board of Ontario