How to Go Green: Wine

Ever since the days of Julius Caesar, wine has been big business-last year, California alone sold 554 million gallons at home and abroad. But back when Caesar and his men were toasting their latest military victory they weren't thinking about the ecological effects of that 100-B.C. vintage—because they didn't have to. Their vineyards weren't maintained with the same chemicals and pesticides that most modern wineries use; organic growing just came naturally.

These days, you'll have to look a little harder to find a wine that's not synthetically manipulated in any way, whether by man-made fertilizers, pest deterrents, or chemical-laden bottling processes. But even though they're hard to find, they're out there: more and more winegrowers are producing organic grapes using low-impact and biodynamic viticulture procedures, and upping the sustainability of their properties by controlling erosion, irrigation, and fertilization with the long-term health of the earth—not just their crops—in mind.

Still other vineyards are cutting back on their consumption and packaging-decreasing their wine's carbon footprint-while small, local wineries offer neighborhood customers an energy efficient alternative to vintages shipped from overseas. So whether you're looking for that perfect birthday-party chardonnay or just a merlot for sipping after a busy week, it's easier than ever to green your reds and whites.

CLOSE X

• del.icio.us
• Newsvine
• Reddit
• Mixx
• MySpace
• Stumble It!