Sustainable Somm.
A non-profit project, founded by Brett, working on environmental sustainability in the wine and hospitality industry.
Wine and the environment, taken seriously.
Sustainable Somm is a non-profit founded by Brett Zimmerman with a simple premise: the wine industry is unusually well-positioned to lead on environmental sustainability, and the sommelier profession can play a meaningful role in connecting the producers doing the right work with the customers who want to support them.
Wine, more than almost any other agricultural product, sits inside a long, traceable supply chain — from a specific vineyard to a specific producer to a specific glass. That traceability is a tool. It lets us tell the story of organic and biodynamic farming, sensible packaging decisions, low-intervention winemaking, and meaningful certifications. It also lets us recognize when those stories are being misrepresented.
Where the project spends its time.
Producer education. Helping wineries that want to move toward organic, biodynamic, or regenerative farming understand the certification landscape, the audit process, and the practical economics of transition.
Trade education. Sommelier-focused content on which sustainability claims actually mean something, which certifications carry independent verification, and how to talk to guests honestly about wines that are working toward improvement rather than already certified.
Public-facing programming. Tasting nights, panel events, and articles that connect customers with the producers actually doing this work — including the ones who are not yet certified but are doing meaningful work in the vineyard and cellar.
Industry-level advocacy. Sustainable Somm has supported research on Colorado wine industry water use, packaging waste, and regional grape varieties suitable for the changing Front Range climate.
How the project shows up at 2690 Broadway.
The work of Sustainable Somm directly informs which producers we choose to bring into the shop. Several of our flagship Burgundy growers, Northern Rhône producers, and California winemakers have completed organic or biodynamic certification within the last five years — and we have introduced more than a few of them to the certification process through this project.
When you come into the shop and ask about sustainable wine, you are not getting a marketing answer. You are getting recommendations from a team that has read the supply contracts, met the growers, walked the vineyards, and watched the certification audits get done.
We host one Sustainable Somm-themed Wine Wednesday each season. The format is the same as any other Wednesday tasting, but the producers are chosen specifically to highlight environmental work. Free, walk-in, 5-7 PM.
A non-profit, not a marketing label.
Sustainable Somm is registered as a 501(c)(3) and welcomes both producer applications and donations. Contact the shop for the latest project schedule and partner list.
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