As a proud contributing editor/field coordinator to the Slow Wine USA Guide 2025, it would be remiss of me not to dedicate a piece to this incredibly important book. 380 United States wineries that are inspired by the Slow Food Manifesto for good, clean and fair wine are profiled in the guide. Anyone who seeks wines from producers who are cognizant of sustainability by farming without synthetic herbicides must find this book. But there’s more.
The Slow Food Manifesto for Good, Clean and Fair Wine
Please note: The wineries in the Slow Wine USA Guide 2025 are inspired by the spirit of the Manifesto, but it does not serve as the complete criteria for being listed in the guide.
“Wineries must grow a minimum of 70% of the grapes used in the production of their wine themselves. Exceptions are given for regions in which widespread sourcing is common such as Madeira, Napa Valley, the south of Spain, etc.”
“Wineries may not use chemically synthesized fertilizers, herbicides, or anti-botrytis fungicides.”
“A conscious and sustainable approach to the use of environmental resources in winemaking must be applied. Dependence on irrigation systems must be limited and should only aim to avoid critical water-stress conditions.”
“Winery buildings, should they need to be constructed must respect their environmental surroundings. Management, upkeep and eventual restoration of extant buildings should take sustainability into account.”
“Wineries should not utilize techniques like reverse osmosis or other physical methods of must concentration. Furthermore, the addition of RCGM (rectified concentrated grape must) or sugar (according to the country of production) is not permitted, with the exception of sparkling wines or wines where these practices fall under traditional techniques. Oak chips used to aromatize wines are also prohibited.”
“Permitted levels of sulfites should not exceed the limits listed under the European Union’s regulations for organic wine.”
“The wines must show terroir and reflect their place of origin.”
“The wines must be free of any winemaking defects, as they tend to homogenize the wines and stamp out any regional identity.”
“Wineries should actively engage and collaborate with the entire surrounding farming community in order to strengthen and enhance the agricultural system of the area.”
“Sustainable winemakers encourage biodiversity through practices such as: alternating vineyards with hedges and wooded areas; soil management practices that include grass and green manure and exclude, in any case, bare soil, with potential exceptions for short, seasonal periods; the protection of pollinating insects and useful fauna through the use of insecticides which are allowed in organic farming where such interventions are necessary, and in any case avoiding their use during the flowering of the vine and of other herbaceous species present in the vineyard; the breeding of animals with respect for their welfare and the production of manure on the farm, as well as the production of compost from pruning residues and other organic materials.”
If You Know, You Know
The launch of the Slow Wine USA Guide 2025 was celebrated recently at Robert Hall Winery in Paso Robles. Caine Thompson, the winery’s Managing Director, led the group on a vineyard walk and side-by-side tasting of wines from the winery’s Regenerative Organic Certified vineyards. After, we continued the celebration with lunch, walk around tasting and camaraderie. And yes, there IS a difference in the wines from these vineyards… IYKYK!
For the 2025 edition, I personally visited 17 Paso Robles, California wineries to either update their profile or add them to the book for the first time then tasted three wines from each to include in the Guide. Next year, a few more wineries from this region will be added.
Like me, contributing editors in various regions visited each winery in the book, assessed farming practices and reviewed their highly lauded wines. Included in each winery’s profile are contact information, brief history, vineyard specifics, characteristics of three selected wines, case production number, and farming and winemaking strategies that are positive expressions of environmental stewardship. Once the field coordinators input the information, all data was meticulously checked for accuracy. Currently, wineries in California, Oregon, Washington and New York are in the guide with more being added for the 2026 edition.
Congratulations to all of the superior wineries included in the guide, National Editor Deborah Parker Wong, Managing Editor Pam Strayer, and all of my fellow field coordinators who helped make the latest guide outstanding. It’s your turn to get your Slow Wine USA Guide 2025 now! Cost is a mere $25.00 and you can order HERE.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
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