The Slow Wine Guide USA Recognizes Eco-Friendly Wineries

By Nancy Croisier

What does it mean when a wine is sustainable? As the saying goes, it's complicated. Thankfully, there's a book available that tells the stories of properties where draft horses work the vineyards, marmots help fertilize the vines, and exciting varieties like Mourvèdre, Gruner Veltliner, and Zweigelt grow without synthetic herbicides. That book is the Slow Wine Guide USA and it aims to help wine lovers identify eco-friendly wines. Here's a look at sustainability in wine, a run-down on the guide, and where to begin an exploration of sustainable wine in Seattle.

What does it mean when a winery embraces sustainable practices? According to James Mantone of Columbia Gorge based Syncline, "We make really good wine to enact changes we want to see. We want to be the best place to work, not just a good employer. It's about being a good farmer, good employer, and good neighbor. That's part of the sustainability issue - what's your impact?" He also farms his estate vineyards without the use of synthetic pesticides along with a number of other chemical free practices. After all, wine starts in the vineyard.

Sometimes vineyards are certified organic or biodynamic which means the grapes aren't farmed with synthetic chemicals, so that's a great differentiator. However, some growers of vineyards in Washington forego the expense of certification even when they utilize organic and/or biodynamic practices. To add to the confusion, some wineries grow their own fruit in addition to acquiring grapes from another party. Growing practices aren't necessarily going to be the same.

Enter the Slow Wine Guide USA. Slow Wine is an adjunct of Italy's Slow Food® movement. Slow Food® is an international organization and even has a chapter here in Seattle. At its core, the Slow Wine mantra is good, clean, and fair. The published guide is a means to navigate the sea of wine available to consumers and chart a course toward conscious consumption. A new issue is published annually, and the 2024 edition is now available. Each year, additional Washington wineries are added.

Why the Slow Wine Guide Matters

Almost half (46%) of U.S. regular wine drinkers say they will always choose a sustainable wine when given the choice according to IWSR's Drinks Analysis. The Slow Wine Guide USA is terrific resource for those seeking such wines.

Each winery is vetted for inclusion in the book. Wines are not eligible to be in the guide if the grapes are farmed with synthetic herbicides such as Roundup. Moreover, contributing writers visit the sites documented in the guide, interview key people, conduct audits of farming practices, and taste wines.

Dusted Valley, Walla Walla

Each concise winery entry peels back layers of the story of the people, vineyards, and wines for the current year. Plus, top wines and everyday wines of quality are identified.

Where to Taste Slow Wine in Seattle and Washington

Since 1998 Paul Beveridge has been a trailblazer in the Washington wine scene. In Seattle's Madrona Neighborhood, he founded Wilridge Winery, the city's first urban winery. Just a little over two hours outside the city he established the first certified organic, Biodynamic®, and Salmon Safe vineyard in the state along with Washington's first plantings of Touriga Franca and Zweigelt. Taste these delightful, unconventional varieties along with classics like Cabernet Sauvignon at The Tasting Room in Pike Place Market.

Paul Beveridge, Wilridge Vineyard

Head to Foundry Vineyards in Pioneer Square for a broad array of wines ranging from classic Bordeaux varieties such as a complex Cabernet Franc to an uncommon mouthwatering orange wine crafted with Muscat Ottonel that undergoes carbonic maceration. Fans of sparkling wines can also experience intriguing selections from the Foundry Vineyards sister winery, Pet Project.

Near Seattle, visit Montinore Estate or Dusted Valley tasting rooms in Woodinville. Consider a road trip to Upsidedown Wine in Cle Elum, Dineen Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, or Hard Row to Hoe in Lake Chelan. Additional wineries in the guide can be found in Red Mountain, the Tri Cities, Walla Walla, and the Columbia Gorge as well as other states.

The Slow Wine Guide USA may be purchased via the Slow Food USA website at https://slowfoodusa.org/product/slow-wine-guide-usa-2024/ for $25 (ordering directly from the source helps sustain the work being done in support of future editions).

Foundry Vineyards, Pioneer Square

This vital resource includes over 400 write ups of wineries in Washington state, Oregon, California, and New York. It's a terrific tool for planning a trip to wine country or identifying wines of interest.

January 2024

Nancy Croisier, a Seattle native, is on a mission to get every winery on social media and a bottle of wine on every dinner table. Nancy is the founder of Pacific Northwest based VinoSocial LLC, a graduate of the Northwest Wine Academy, a Certified Specialist of Wine and Vice President on the board of Seattle Urban Wineries. Read more of Nancy's writing in the Slow Wine Guide USA, Washington Tasting Room Magazine, Explore Washington State, and on the VinoSocial.wine site. For more wine and food discoveries, follow @VinoSocialNancy on Instagram and X.