Certifiably Good
Learn more about the LIVE program






By Patty Mamula
Whether drinking wine or eating crackers, consumers are increasingly interested in sustainability. They want to know what they eat and drink is healthy for them and the environment. Wine lovers now have access to numerous certifications to determine the sustainable levels of their favorite wineries.
Formed in 1997 by a small group of Willamette Valley winegrowers, LIVE certification remains one of the most important in the Northwest. It ensures a winery or vineyard has met or exceeded specific standards. The organization measures greenhouse gas emissions, promotes regenerative farming practices and carbon sequestration, protects and restores oak habitats, and minimizes impacts on local rivers and streams.
A significant aspect of LIVE certification is the year-over-year improvement requisite, said Carrie Kalscheuer, chief brand officer at Ponzi Vineyards. “When I’m serving wine at events around the country, I stress how LIVE continually monitors annual improvement,” she said.
Herb Quady, owner of Quady North winery in Jacksonville and a LIVE board member, said, “LIVE is more relevant than organic or biodynamic designations because its standards do more to address winery-specific issues. It has a broader reach.”
“The standards revolve around the following six areas,” said Chris Serra, executive director of LIVE: Climate Action, Biodiversity, Worker Rights, Soil Health, Pesticide Reduction and Natural Resource Conservation. LIVE is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit supporting environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing through third-party certification and educational programming. Or, as LIVE board member Katherine Cole said, “It means someone cared.”
Although the certification process is laborious, time-consuming and costly, it demonstrates how the winery or vineyard cares regards its product, consumers, the environment, land and water. It also values people, the community and its reputation.
The LIVE third-party certification is not a sole process. Members receive regular evaluations by a third-party inspector. Annual desk inspections recur between site visits. The inspector assesses all aspects of LIVE compliance along with recordkeeping.
Constant progress is paramount to the LIVE philosophy, explains Quady. “Wineries are asked to choose an action item, work on it, then pick another.” His 2023 special project focused on recycling plastic stretch film. “It’s ubiquitous at wineries and just gets tossed, but there is an Oregon company, Agri-Plas, that recycles it.” He helped develop community plastic recycling hubs. “Last year, Quady North recycled 30 cubic yards of it.”
Serra said, “The wine industry’s biggest contributor to carbon is the glass bottle. The lighter the bottle, the less energy it takes to make and ship them. It’s why some wineries are adopting alternative packaging.”
But how does a winery quantify its carbon footprint? LIVE’s Excel Greenhouse calculator requires a variety of quantifiable data, including water and energy use, wastewater, transportation from the winery to distributors, as well as emissions and ratings for glass bottles. The final calculation determines an entity’s environmental impact.
Quady said, “I want to focus on reducing my carbon footprint, especially regarding our packaging. Last year, about 10 percent of our production went into bag-in-box, kegs and can formats. We also started using Revino, a reusable wine bottle consumers can return to various Oregon wineries or collection sites. The bottles are then washed and filled again,” he said.
“Our 3-liter bag-in-box format is especially popular with restaurants because the wine stays fresher than in an open bottle. The packaging is recyclable and about 25 percent less expensive, making its impact on the planet nine times less than the equivalent in medium-weight bottles,” said Quady.
At Ponzi Vineyards head winemaker Luisa Ponzi, also a LIVE board member, said one of their action items was to work on reducing water use. “For LIVE, we track how much water is used to make a gallon of wine. It’s straightforward. We have flow meters everywhere,” she said.
One way to minimize water use, Ponzi said, is cleaning a tank more effectively. “There are more efficient foam systems now,” she said. “We also focus on the time necessary to clean a barrel. Maybe we don’t need 10 minutes. We’re more conscious of how we use our resources. We also developed a habit of turning off lights.”
Serra said LIVE certification satisfies both Salmon Safe and Bee-Friendly designations. “Our certification automatically ensures protection of water ways, fish habitats and supports pollinator health and biodiversity because it encompasses the entire property,” he said. A successful LIVE inspection establishes all three certifications.
The LIVE organization itself has supported projects for the wine industry. In 2021, LIVE joined Growing Oaks, a student-led, Willamette University organization, with a goal of collecting 30,000 acorns to plant 11,000 sapling White Oaks. The project aims to grow these trees for 50 years, thereby offsetting the Oregon wine industry’s estimated carbon emissions.
Current LIVE membership numbers are 333 vineyards and 27 wineries. Why so many more vineyards than wineries? Quady said, “There are simply more vineyards than wineries, probably five times more.”
Ponzi believes agriculture has always been a more common path for sustainability. Vineyard certification is more straightforward, with obvious ways to improve year after year.
“Winery certification is still considered a new part of LIVE’s efforts. When consumers see the LIVE logo they don’t necessarily separate the winery from the vineyards,” she said.
Although Ponzi was one of the first wineries to become LIVE certified, it lapsed after a few years. “The paperwork and tracking of outputs proved difficult,” Ponzi said, “but we recently became certified again.”
She said the industry has become more focused on sustainability. “It’s in the public eye.” Kalscheuer said national polls confirm the trend. Since 2021, consumer polling shows a 30 percent increase in the importance of environmental impact when making product purchases. She believes there’s an increased interest in health since the pandemic and younger buyers making healthier choices.
Ponzi said, “Wineries are receiving more support from LIVE. There’s more energy behind it.” A tech group meets regularly to examine stumbling blocks for wineries.
“One of the issues we have discussed involves the provision about construction materials,” said Quady. “We asked ‘does this requirement prohibit wineries that might want to join?’ After reviewing, we decided to change the standard from ‘required’ to a ‘bonus item.’”
LIVE standards derive from the International Organization for Biological Control, which accredits LIVE every year. “Any program changes we want to make goes through them,” said Serra.
Serra said the most difficult area for vineyard certification remains pest management because weather and environmental conditions vary annually.
Isabelle Tobe, LIVE’s communications coordinator, said, “We regularly host tech meetings where growers discuss pest management because they are changing all the time. We hear feedback centered on people, planet and practices.” These meetings might generate ideas for changing the standards. Thus, the process adjusts as needed; it doesn’t remain static.
Cole said, “Sustainability really matters to consumers. In this very competitive market, consumers are looking for wineries that care.” In a recent Full Glass study, 71 percent of respondents said, “all things being equal, I would purchase or support a wine that is sustainably produced over one that is not.”
Tobe highlighted how the LIVE certificate on a wine bottle back label means it was a local product made in the Northwest.
“What we hear from our wineries,” Cole said, “is that one of the main pillars to sustainability is economic viability.” As wineries and vineyards continue refining sustainable practices, those decisions improve their bottom line. “LIVE certification is a long-term investment,” she said.
Kalscheuer agreed. “We see that sustainable practices grow better fruit and make superior wine.”
Patty Mamula is a Portland-based freelance writer focusing on Northwest art, entertainment and culture. Her résumé includes Sunriver Magazine, The Capital Press and other publications. Connect with her at pattymamula@gmail.com.