Sustainability
2020 PRWCA Environmental Winery of the Year Recipient
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is the act of incorporating environmental responsibility, social equity and economic viability in all aspects of the winemaking process in order to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the fruits of the land as we enjoy them today. In its purest form sustainability is the act of living and doing business in ways that do not deplete the natural environment and its precious resources.
Why is it important?
At Castoro Cellars we believe that every little bit helps and every positive change makes a difference that can be felt across the world. For this reason, we have been at the forefront of sustainable farming and winemaking in Paso Robles for nearly 30 years.
Solar Power at Castoro Cellars:
At Castoro Cellars we understand the importance of finding alternative energy sources that will help us lessen our impact on the natural environment. In 2006 Castoro Cellars installed 42 solar panels at our Cobble Creek vineyard and installed an even larger solar panel system on the roof of our events room located beside the tasting room in Templeton. In 2012 an addtional solar array was installed at our Dos Vinas vineyard to offset the energy needed to power two wells and a home that occupy the property. Most recently in 2015 our largest installation to date was installed with an annual production of 1,042,403 kWh. The power generated from these panels allows us to minimize our impact on the environment and support a system we believe to be necessary for a sustainable future.
Electric Monarch Tractors:
The future of farming
We are very excited to be stepping into a new realm of farming with our fleet of fully electric Monarch tractors. These tractors not only operate exclusively on battery power, they are able to work autonomously using gps coordinate.
We are still in the beginning phases of the adventure but we are very excited about where it will take us.
Sustainable Agriculture at Castoro:
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture promotes the stewardship of both natural and human resources with the goal of integrating environmentally sound practices, social equity and economic feasibility into all decisions made about the vineyards.
Organic and SIP Certified Vineyards at Castoro Cellars:
Castoro Cellars’ vineyards are completely grown in compliance by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) which is compliant with USDA standards. The certification covers the west side Cobble Creek vineyard, Whale Rock vineyard, Stone’s Throw and a portion of the Blind Faith estate vineyard. Each vineyard must be farmed without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Along with being 100% organically grown, every vineyard is also 100% SIP certified.
![Ccof_logo](https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=2000&s=f5bad4627bad5b4e234bd8e6a7f08ad0 2000w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1800&s=10da8e64fc7418d0e2767e0c294729d0 1800w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1600&s=f37dcd311ce183af22c24b9194e410bd 1600w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1400&s=212818c55e45b73a1a4fa592ed67be15 1400w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1200&s=34a0f2ca77dff030580bbee65befef65 1200w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1000&s=be35983cad965a21147cdc77f62f86b4 1000w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800&s=c4a6abfd9f4f5c3cd12a33b1c0c98ef6 800w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=600&s=65eb8b998acb637a660c0b67112a9904 600w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/ccof_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=400&s=0f5d9d7197c3a4071ff058f423664422 400w)
Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certification
- SIP Certification is available to growers and wineries throughout California.
- SIP looks at the whole farm verifying the farmers commitment to environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees, and business sustainability.
- SIP is a practice and performance-based
- SIP has a high threshold for eligibility
- SIP prohibits the use of high-risk pesticides (organophosphates, groundwater contaminants, just to name a few).
- A bottle of wine can bear the SIP Seal, given it has undergone a chain of custody audit confirming it is made with at least 85% SIP Certified fruit
![Sip_logo](https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=2000&s=c8ad7a32c98c4a473c4362bdf56ce33a 2000w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1800&s=69c09a7480af320049a0407e378578b2 1800w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1600&s=fd4b170e43c675e402bee98e3165b019 1600w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1400&s=c983ed490e5b1638987883a1005c3abd 1400w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1200&s=9853f93de171b05f73a9f2e517734cae 1200w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=1000&s=fd2eb9b8c3791461072596354a7b64ed 1000w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800&s=993a6e1b802d6fc30ca5fb9a4c14143b 800w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=600&s=3beb023f42ffd8db19fe27a99df30c28 600w, https://castorocellars.imgix.net/general_images/Logos/sip_logo.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=400&s=2c8c7538282c5fb4d5817990d780cb58 400w)