J Vineyards & Winery has announced it has been certified sustainable in accordance with the California Sustainable Winegrowers Alliance (CSWA) program. That program, established in 2010, features 227 “best practices” with third-party verification. There are now 51 wineries and/or vineyards certified sustainable by CSWA. Included among them are wineries of all sizes, from the small, Santa Cruz Mountains producer Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards to family-owned Honig Vineyards & Winery of Napa Valley to mega-big E & J Gallo.

J has been working toward certification since the inception of the program. "This has been my vision for J since its founding 25 years ago." said Judy Jordan, J Founder and President. "The business practices we have implemented over the past three years are keys to a healthier future."

"For the past two years, we've been diligently working on aligning J with CSWA's commitment to wine quality," said John Erbe, J Vineyards & Winery Viticulturalist. "Our estate vineyards have been planted utilizing the latest techniques in water conservation, wildlife habitat corridors, and soil erosion reduction."

According to J, their sustainability measures include:

• Using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and cover-crop programs throughout the winery's ten estate vineyards to protect riparian habitats. IPM methods are also used to build soil tilth while attracting beneficial insects.
• Replacing all inefficient incandescent lights throughout the winery with new, high-intensity, lower energy lighting.
• Recycling all paper, corks, and glass used throughout the winery.
• Reducing water used throughout the winegrowing and winemaking process.
• The computerization of refrigeration compressors to reduce energy consumption, coupled with energy-efficient cooling towers.
• Replacing existing water boilers with higher-efficiency heaters that work in stages.
• Reducing the weight of sparkling and varietal wine bottles.
• Low VOC paints throughout the winery.

Judy Jordan established J Vineyards and Winery in 1986 to make sparkling wine from Russian River Valley fruit. The first vintage, released in 1991, was the 1987 J Vintage Brut. In 1997 she purchased the winery facilities, south of Healdsburg, and 118 acres of vineyards from Piper Sonoma. J's winery and tasting room remain in that location. Prior to creating her wine business, Jordan had earned a geology degree from Stanford and worked briefly in that field. The daughter of Tom Jordan (founder of Jordan Vineyards in Alexander Valley), she had also grown up around and worked in the wine business. Today, J Vineyards and Winery holds 250 acres of vineyards and makes high-quality sparkling wines and still wines from grapes associated with Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. {Pinot Gris used to be an accepted component of Champagne.]

The J Vineyards & Winery Visitor Center and Bubble Room is located at 11447 Old Redwood Highway, just south of Healdsburg.

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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. Photo courtesy of J Vineyards and Winery. All rights reserved.