So tomorrow I'm going to meet with the winemaker at Wente to talk about sustainable practices.

Don't tell anyone, but our next issue of Something Extra is "The Green Issue," so one thing we wanted to spotlight was green wineries.

In doing my research for this article, I've learned that both big and small winemakers are driving their efforts to sustainable practices.

Take Clos du Bois. They were the first grape growers in Sonoma County to be certified as fish-friendly by the state of California. Their fish-friendly farming practices help conserve the fish of the Russian River by minimizing soil run-off and replacing harmful plants with native California species.

They also recycle approximately 90% of all solid waste, mostly for compost in the vineyards. Even the glass of the bottles is made from 40% recycled material!

Over at Rodney Strong, the winery is fueled primarily by solar panels on the roof, which earned it an award from the EPA for Green Power Leadership.

At Charles Krug, seven of their 11 vineyards are certified organic - with two more on the way. In fact, by 2010, almost 85% of their vineyards will be certified organic. That's pretty impressive considering they have over 850 acres.

And even a winery like Bonterra - which I already knew was 100% certified organic - surprised me with tidbits like this: the winery runs on green renewable energy and uses biodiesel in their vehicles.

Pretty cool stuff, huh?