In the world of wine, sustainability has become more than a buzzword—it’s a commitment to producing exceptional wines while protecting the land, water, and community that make them possible.
At Six Eighty Cellars, sustainability isn’t a marketing angle. It’s the way we’ve chosen to grow, craft, and share our wines. In June 2023, we earned the designation of Certified Sustainable Vineyard through the New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program—a rigorous standard that ensures vineyards operate with the highest level of environmental stewardship, economic viability, and worker safety.
In this article, we’re taking you behind the vines to show how our sustainable winery practices in the Finger Lakes directly influence the quality of the wine in your glass—and how these choices protect the future of winemaking in our region.
If you’ve ever wondered what “Certified Sustainable” really entails, here’s the quick answer: it’s not just about farming without harmful chemicals. It’s about balancing environmental care, economic responsibility, and social equity to ensure vineyards thrive for decades to come.
The New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program provides grape growers with a detailed set of best management practices that:
Minimize environmental impact
Protect worker health and safety
Reduce economic risk for farms
Promote the long-term viability of the region’s wine industry
Earning certification means meeting stringent standards across multiple areas of vineyard management. For us, this wasn’t a switch we flipped—it was the result of years of intentional choices. By committing to these standards, we ensure that every bottle of Six Eighty wine reflects not just our craft, but our values.
Healthy grapes come from healthy ecosystems. At Six Eighty Cellars, we prioritize biodiversity, soil health, and clean water—not just for the benefit of our vines, but for the entire environment around them.
Here’s how we put that into action:
No herbicides: In 2023, we adopted mechanical weed control instead of herbicide use, reducing chemical runoff into local waterways.
Bio-pesticides: When intervention is needed, we use targeted, low-impact solutions that minimize harm to beneficial insects.
Avoiding heavy metals: We steer clear of fungicides containing copper or other heavy metals, which can linger in the soil and disrupt natural microbial life.
These practices protect nearby streams, the wildlife that call them home, and ultimately, the delicate balance of our local ecosystem. That balance matters—because stress-free, healthy vines produce more consistent, flavorful grapes.
The Finger Lakes region is no stranger to weather extremes—frigid winters, humid summers, and unexpected storms can challenge even the most experienced grower. That’s why climate-smart farming is at the core of our vineyard management.
One of our key tools? Cover cropping.
Planting specific cover crops between vineyard rows:
Improves soil structure and prevents erosion
Enhances water retention, helping vines withstand dry spells
Encourages biodiversity, creating habitats for pollinators and beneficial insects
Naturally suppresses weeds, reducing the need for chemical intervention
By fostering soil health and biodiversity, we’re building a vineyard that’s more resilient to climate shifts—and that resilience means healthier vines, more consistent harvests, and wines that stay true to our terroir year after year.
Sustainability isn’t only about the environment—it’s also about people. At Six Eighty Cellars, social responsibility is an integral part of our approach.
Owners Dave and Melissa Pittard have built a culture that values education, safety, and long-term opportunity for our vineyard team. This includes:
Employee education subsidies: We encourage and financially support ongoing training in viticulture, winemaking, and safety practices.
Safety-first operations: We follow rigorous health and safety protocols to protect our workers year-round.
Why does this matter to you as a wine drinker? Because when the people tending the vines are knowledgeable, supported, and safe, the quality of the vineyard—and the wine—naturally improves.
Wine is both an art and a science. While tradition guides much of our process, we’re constantly exploring new research-backed methods to improve vineyard health and wine quality.
In 2023, we:
Partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension to experiment with beneficial microorganisms that enhance vine growth and resilience.
Joined forces with the NYS Department of Agriculture for a cover crop initiative aimed at improving soil fertility and reducing erosion.
These collaborations keep us at the forefront of sustainable viticulture in the Finger Lakes, ensuring our practices are grounded in proven science—not just good intentions.
Waste is the enemy of sustainability—and in a vineyard, waste can often be turned into an asset.
At Six Eighty Cellars, we practice closed-loop resource management by reintegrating organic material back into the vineyard:
Pruned vines are chopped into small pieces and returned to the soil as nutrient-rich organic matter.
This boosts soil composition, improves microbial activity, and helps retain moisture.
It’s a simple, cost-effective way to enhance soil health while reducing landfill waste—another example of how sustainability can be both environmentally and economically smart.
Every tractor pass through the vineyard uses fuel, compacts soil, and contributes to carbon emissions. That’s why we’ve optimized our vineyard operations to reduce CO₂ output without sacrificing care.
We’ve implemented:
Task-stacking: Combining multiple vineyard tasks (like hedging and under-vine cultivation) into a single tractor pass.
Reduced-emission tractors that cut fuel use and pollution.
Solar energy to power portions of our winery operations.
The result? Lower environmental impact and a smaller carbon footprint—another way we’re protecting the Finger Lakes for future generations.
So, how do all these efforts show up in your glass? Sustainable practices influence wine quality in subtle but important ways:
Healthier vines produce grapes with more balanced acidity, sugar levels, and flavor complexity.
Cleaner soil and water mean fewer environmental stresses on the vineyard, resulting in more consistent harvests.
Biodiversity in and around the vineyard contributes to a stable ecosystem that supports vine health naturally.
In other words, when we take care of the vineyard, it takes care of the wine—and that’s something you can taste.
Sustainability isn’t a side project at Six Eighty Cellars—it’s at the heart of who we are. By choosing research-backed, environmentally responsible, and socially equitable practices, we’re not just making great wine today. We’re ensuring that future generations will get to experience the same beauty, flavor, and sense of place that make the Finger Lakes so special.
Book a tasting at our modern Cayuga Lake winery, tour the vineyard, and taste the results of sustainability in every sip.
