SIP Certified® Standards 2025

SIP Standards Preview 2025

Any wine made with at least 85% SIP Certified fruit (estate or purchased) can add the logo or verbiage to its label.

SIP Certified Wine Applications can be submitted before or after the applied-for wines have been bottled.

Vintage changes on previously SIP Certified wines do not require a new COLA, but must go through SIP Certified wine inspection/chain of custody verification.

If wine(s) is(are) eligible for certification, a fully executed Wine Certification Agreement (new applicants only) must be completed and returned to program staff.

Wine certification is an off-site process conducted remotely through the database. The application and inspection processes are flexible but must allow for credible chain of custody verification with adequate lead time for the applicant to incorporate the seal on labels. A delay by the applicant to promptly complete any of the related steps will result in a delay in granting licensing and use of the seal.

Tutorial: Apply for SIP Certified Wine

Table of Contents

0 — Wine Certification

  • Certify any wine made with at least 85% SIP Certified fruit (estate or purchased).
  • Wines can be certified at any time.
  • Inspector reviews block to bottle documentation for 20% of the applied-for wines.

0.1 Chain of Custody Documentation

Requirements

1.

Upload the SIP Certified Certification Letter for each vintage of wine being audited. Include the page detailing Blocks, Varietals, and Acres.

  • You can download your letter if your wine application is under the same Property as your SIP Certified vineyard. Click here to learn how.
  • If your wine application is not under the same Property as the SIP Certified vineyard, please email whitney@vineyardteam.org for the vineyard letter(s), and provide the vineyard name(s) and vintage year(s).

Provide documentation.
2.

Upload harvest documentation with weight tag number. Wines with over 20 weigh tags: request operation history with ALL weigh tags and review 20% of actual weigh tags.

Documentation must prove reasonable (max) tons/ acre.

Provide documentation.
3.

Upload crush records with volume.

Provide documentation.
4.

Upload tank/barrel storage records.

Documentation must show tank and/or barrel assignments which equate to quantity of crushed or pressed wine AND ≥ projected finished wine.

Provide documentation.
5.

Upload topping records.

Topping records must indicate source of topping wine, and percentage of final blend (if possible).

If manual record-keeping, winery can declare topping wine ≤ 15% of final blend (if auditor deems necessary).

Provide documentation.
6.

Upload trial blend documentation.

Trial blend must contain ≥ 85% SIP Certified fruit.

Provide documentation.
7.

Upload blending records.

Provide documentation.
8.

Upload bottling records, including bottling date and number of cases.

Furnished to inspector 30 days after bottling.

Provide documentation.