Research Grants Program Office

Between 1995 and 2014, California wine production increased by 79%. While the industry has made significant efforts to improve environmental performance, existing data on water consumption and $CO_2$ emissions often rely on studies from foreign regions, which may not accurately reflect California's specific production schemes. Because environmental profiles vary widely based on life-cycle factors, this study utilizes Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to assess the impact of red wine produced on the Central Coast of California under various production scenarios.The cradle-to-gate analysis examined variables including bottle weight reduction, transportation distances, and varying ratios of machine versus hand-harvesting. Results revealed that the bottling process contributes the most significant environmental impacts, accounting for 82.6% of total global warming potential (GWP) and 65.4% of eutrophication potential. Furthermore, transportation and bottle weight are critical factors, contributing 10.6% of ecotoxicity potential, 11.6% of GWP, and 7.84% of eutrophication potential. Notably, reducing bottle weight by 26.1% resulted in a 20.0% reduction in GWP and a 13.2% reduction in eutrophication potential.These findings provide a scientific basis for producers to adopt best practices for environmentally conscious wine production and inform consumer decision-making. Additionally, these results facilitate the assessment of produce against established sustainability standards. Given the regional variability of certification programs across California and the United States, this data offers a quantitative basis for streamlining audit procedures and supporting the overall certification process.