Reducing carbon emissions, improving vineyard practices, reviewing water use—these are just some of the achievements and ambitions of Northwest wineries in 2010… One of the biggest moves came this week, with Chateau Ste. Michelle’s announcement that its prize Cold Creek and Canoe Ridge vineyards had obtained certification through the Salmon-Safe Inc. and Low-Input Viticulture and Enology Inc. certification programs. Together, the two vineyards represent 1,368 acres of Columbia Valley vineyards—more than one-third of the winery’s acreage in the state. “Those sites are much larger than our typical Willamette Valley vineyard site, which tends to be 50 acres or so,” Dan Kent, managing director of Portland-based Salmon-Safe Inc., told Wines & Vines. While the organization is no stranger to Washington state, it’s primarily been active in the Walla Walla Valley… Read the article.