This side of the wine industry mostly remains unseen by the common drinker. The inner workings of the wine production are normally left behind the taste, flavor and the winemaker personality. And yet, these inner workings define how the wineries operate as businesses and may, in fact, influence what and how we think about them.
While most sustainability practices cannot be seen or felt in wines directly, they might do one thing: give us some information on how wineries are handling the hardships and challenges of today’s climate, economy and social relations.
With the raging war in Ukraine it became very apparent how sensitive wineries are to peaceful conditions of the whole supply chain, be they wine bottles or energy prices. We can talk all we want about eco-friendly and green practices, they come second when winemakers struggle to sell their products to the right audience at attractive prices.
This is exactly when the word “sustainability” comes in. Whether it’s combating climate change or high bottle prices, being “sustainable” is key to survival. In Sicily SOStain is the name of the program that was established in 2020 by the Assovini Sicilia and Sicilia DOC, the regulating and marketing body of the wine appellation.
Beyond the looks of it
It’s very clear that Sicily isn’t just about dramatic coastlines, ancient ruins, and Godfather movie references—it’s also the stage for a quiet but determined movement in wine sustainability. The SOStain Sicily Foundation, a coalition of Sicilian wineries, isn’t content with just producing wine; they want to do it in a way that respects the land, the people, and even the very bottles that carry their liquids. But this isn’t a simple checklist of eco-friendly buzzwords—hopefully not.
The Sicilian vineyard area is among the largest in Italy (97,080 hectares). It is three times the size of the vineyard surface area of New Zealand, it’s larger than that of South Africa and in Europe it is as large as the entire surface area of German vineyards. Of those hectares around 6,000 are claimed to the SOStain program.
One of the most important things to note about SOStain is the variety of member companies: both big, medium and small companies have joined the cause—from Cusumano to Graci, from Tasca d’Almerita to Girolamo Russo, from Planeta to Occhipinti, from Tenuta Rapitalà to Donnafugata: all in all 44 members as of March 2025.
The rules of the SOStain membership are clearly conveyed and are divided into several blocks, including:
- Vineyard management
- No chemical herbicides
- Biodiversity
- Use of eco-friendly materials in the vineyard
- Local raw materials
- Use of the viva indicators
- Energy efficient technologies
- Weight of the bottles
- Transparency in communication
- limiting the content of residues in wines
A lot of demands, if you ask me.
The vineyards under SOStain membership rules are required to maintain biodiversity, protect native species, and find ways to work with nature rather than against it. Instead of forcing grapes to conform to industrial expectations, winemakers are adjusting their practices to what the land naturally offers. Cover crops, natural fertilizers, and reduced intervention mean that what ends up in the bottle is as close to Sicilian terroir as possible—minus the synthetic crap.
Glass bottles matter too: they are a bit of a sustainability nightmare requiring a tremendous amount of energy to produce and transport. SOStain Sicily decided it was time to rethink this aspect of winemaking: enter the great bottle “diet”. By developing a glass recycling initiative and pushing for lighter bottles, these winemakers are slashing their carbon footprint while keeping their wines stylishly housed. I mean, who hasn’t ever been shocked by how awfully heavy a bottle of premium Argentine Malbec can get!
Small Wineries, Big Challenges
If you think adopting sustainable practices is easy, just ask the smaller wineries struggling to meet these ambitious goals. Unlike large producers with deep pockets and dedicated sustainability teams, small winemakers often operate on razor-thin margins. That’s where partnerships with research institutions and sustainability experts come in. It seems that SOStain isn’t about punishing those who can’t afford immediate change—it’s about providing the tools and knowledge to help every winemaker, no matter their size, be part of the movement.
Cutting Through the Greenwashing
Here’s the real challenge: how do you convince consumers that your sustainability efforts are real and not just a fancy marketing gimmick? SOStain is tackling this head-on by implementing transparency standards that force wineries to back up their claims with hard data. This isn’t just about slapping a ‘green’ label on a bottle and calling it a day—every SOStain-certified winery has to prove its commitment through measurable, verifiable actions. If only all industries had this level of accountability!
What’s next for SOStain?
To me, sustainability is one thing that requires a lot of explanation and includes a lot of moving parts: research, science, human relations, business decisions, community and financial support. It also requires many different wineries and owners to be on one page—which is hard enough to achieve.
As climate change continues to challenge traditional winemaking practices, Sicilian vintners are gearing up for more innovation. The next frontier? Reducing water consumption even further, exploring alternative energy sources, and perhaps even rethinking the very way wine is distributed.
After all, sustainability isn’t really a destination—it’s a journey, a lifestyle and a constant self-control.