VINEA MEMBERS JOIN LIVE, PURSUE CERTIFICATION FOR SUSTAINABLE VINEYARDS September 13, 2006 -- The number of certified sustainable vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley will increase significantly, now that a number of members of Vinea, a winegrowers’ trust based in Walla Walla, Washington that promotes sustainable farming practices, have joined the LIVE program, an Oregon based international certification program for sustainable vineyards. Vinea represents Oregon and Washington vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA and has until recently focused on education and awareness for environmentally friendly viticulture. Now, 20 Vinea vineyard members will have access to third party certification through LIVE. LIVE was the first to achieve international certification through the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) and remains the only organization with this certification in the United States. 20 Vinea member vineyards joined the program this summer with the goal of achieving full certification within the next two years - 40 percent of which will be Oregon vineyard acreage. This will amount to a total of 862 certified sustainable vineyard acres in the Walla Walla Valley and 3,889 total vineyard acres in the LIVE program. “The two groups share a commitment to sustainable viticulture and this is a natural step to take,” said Stirling Fox, president of LIVE. “Vinea has an impressive membership base and a marketing presence, and we offer the neutral third party certification. We both see this as an ideal opportunity to unite for a common goal, which is to increase the number of certified sustainable vineyards and continue to be environmental stewards of the land.” “For years, our growers have been adhering to sustainable growing practices, but we realized that we needed to formalize our farming practices and ideals so that our wine consumers understand what we’re doing and the importance of certification,” said Jean-Francois Pellet, president of VINEA. “Our mission all along has been to develop and implement a sustainable vineyard management program, synonymous with the Walla Walla Valley, that is internationally recognized for its strict environmental standards and high quality farming practices. We now can achieve that through LIVE.” In addition to the Walla Walla Valley, the LIVE program supports 43 certified vineyards in the Willamette Valley and in Southern Oregon, with an expectation to grow this number to 66 by the end of the year. “LIVE now has a greater reach statewide in Oregon and in Washington,” Fox said. “In the future, we see LIVE as continuing to educate and certify for sustainable agricultural practices while possibly becoming a neutral technical certification agency for other organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest.” About LIVE Inc. LIVE is a non profit organization providing education and third-party certification for vineyards through the International Organization for Biological Control. The program has 112 Certification members and 1,310 Certified Sustainable vineyard acres throughout the state of Oregon. LIVE is the first organization in the United States to be certified by the (IOBC), which promotes the use of sustainable, environmentally safe, economically feasible, and socially acceptable control methods of pests and diseases of agricultural and forestry crops. LIVE also partners with Salmon Safe, an organization dedicated to restoring and maintaining healthy watersheds. Salmon Safe certification is included in the LIVE certification membership. These programs aim to provide a solution for wine grape growers that are economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. For more information, visit www.liveinc.org. About VINEA VINEA is a voluntary group of winegrowers that have embraced a covenant with environmental, economic and social sustainability concurrent with their production of grapes and wine. The program has 27 vineyard members, representing 954 acres through the Walla Walla Valley, amounting to about two-thirds of the valley’s total acreage. Vinea growers are dedicated to holistic, environmentally friendly viticulture practices that respect the land, conserve natural resources, support biodiversity and provide for the long-term vineyard viability. Vinea growers want to establish Walla Walla as a leader in sustainable viticulture and generate awareness and regard for this position among Washington state vintners, growers, the community, members of the trade, media and consumers. For more information, visit www.vineatrust.org.