Escape to California Wine Country for Earth Day This April With Eco-Friendly Events and Travel Deals

SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine Institute -- With the world's largest sustainable winegrowing program, California wine country is the perfect place to celebrate Earth Day on April 22 this year and throughout the month.

Whether you're passionate about protecting the environment, dealing with a bout of spring fever after a long winter or a wine lover eager to experience a new wine region, California's wineries and hotels are making it easy to escape for an eco-friendly getaway.  Wineries throughout the state are offering special events and programs to help visitors learn more about eco-responsible winegrowing and winemaking while enjoying California's beautiful wine country.  Various hotels and travel companies are also offering travel deals to make attending these events even more enticing.

"Earth Day is a great time to think about how California's wine industry has raised the bar for producing wines that are responsible to the earth and communities," said Allison Jordan, executive director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), an organization established by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers to help the state's growers and wineries become the world leader in sustainable winegrowing practices.  "Consumers are interested in knowing where and how their wines are grown and made, often wanting to experience that knowledge first-hand.  These Earth Day events and travel deals are a great incentive to getaway this April to California wine country, one of the most progressive advocates of environmentally conscious practices in the world."

To date, 1,566 vintners and growers – representing about 68 percent of the California's vineyard acreage and 63 percent of wine production – have assessed the sustainability of their operations.  Many of these vintners and growers are hosting fun events this April, such as Wente Vineyards in the Livermore Valley wine region, a participant in CSWA's third-party certification program. Wente is offering a special wine and food tasting event, a tour of their organically farmed Chef Gardens and Audubon Sanctuary, as well as live music.  Kunde Family Estate in Sonoma Valley is offering a special "Hike and Taste in the Vineyards" tour of their sustainably certified estate with docent Bill Myer.  Grgich Hills Estate in Napa Valley is offering two-for-one biodynamic estate tours and tastings, while four wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains Organic Wine Trail will celebrate Earth Day 2011 by showcasing their CCOF certified organic vineyards with a tour and tasting of wines at Cooper Garrod, Silver Mountain, Vine Hill and Alfaro Family Vineyard.  

To learn more about these events and travel deals in California's wine regions, visit www.discovercaliforniawine.com.  Click on the California Wine Month tab.

For additional information about California's Sustainable Winegrowing Program, including videos and other educational tools, visit www.sustainablewinegrowing.org.

SOURCE Wine Institute