In 2002, Some wineries (including Cooper Mountain Vineyards) have officially agreed to sign the famous “Charter of Quality”.
The purpose of the “charter” is to enhance the role of the terroir and therefore the pure concept of the appellation expression. In conclusion, this system requires that the winemaker will do his best to let express the terroir notion by avoiding manipulations and additions in the wine.
There are three classifications on this charter: From One to Three Stars.

Here are the rules and conditions in order to sign this charter:

* Obtaining one star *

Wine from a controlled appellation of origin has a particular taste linked to the expression, a type of soil, and a climate. Agriculture should therefore reinforce the organic life of the soil and avoid all synthetic chemical products.
> No weed-killers that destroy the life of the soil.
> No chemical fertilizer which causes a strong and atypical growth. These fertilizers are salts. The plant needs to drink more, thus to grow more compensate for the excess salt imposed on it.
> No synthetic chemical product a they can falsify the photosynthesis and thus the taste of the wine.
> No systemic treatment-absorbed by the sap in half an hour- which, besides a negative effect on the metabolism of the plant on photosynthesis, and on the roots (affect mycorhize), can be found in the grape in the form of residues. > No aromatic yeast which leads to atypical taste of wines.

** Obtaining two stars**

In recent years the formidable advance of technology permits us to re-create the tastes that an inadequate agriculture had falsified. A return to the good practices renders this technology useless, and leaves each wine its original faste, without misleading the consumer.

> No mechanical harvesting, in order to obtain optimal maturity.
> No exogenous yeast that is a stranger to the place.
> No treating of the must with enzymes. Healthy agriculture bestows an abundance of color etc.
> No concentrator that works by inverted osmosis. This process can bring about imbalances, especially in ageing.
> No cryoextraction which falsifies the balance of the wine.
> No cold treatment that reaches the freezing point.

*** Obtaining three stars ***

> No deacidifying or reacidifying which change the balance of the wine.
> No addition of ascorbic acid, nor of potassium sorbate.
> No chaptalization, including concentrated must.

All the wine-makers have adopted this charter will have authentic, and thus inimitable wines, since the relationship between soil and climate has everywhere on earth a different "face".
The wine-maker signing this charter in the presence of a notary public commits himself to respecting this code of ethics during the entire cycle of his production. He is informed that he can be inspected at any time by a member of the group.

Here is the list of the members (per country):

AUSTRIA

Nikolaihof Wachau
Weingut Geyerhof

AUSTRALIA

Castagna Vineyard
Jasper Hill Vineyard
Cullen Vineyard

CHILE

Vina Antiyal
Vinedos Santa Emiliana (VOE)

GERMANY

Freiherr Heyl zu Herrnsheim
Weingut Eymann
Weingut Hahnmulle
Prinz zu Salm-Dalberg & Schloss
Wallhausen
Weingut Wittmann
Weingut Sander

ITALY

Casina Degli Ulivi
La Biancara AZ Agr
Az Agr Radikon Stanislao

NEW ZEALAND

The Milton Vineyards
Providence Vineyards

SLOVENIA

Movia

SPAIN

Albet I Noya
Alvaro Palacios, S.L
Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez
Descendientes de J.Palacios, S.L
Dominio de Pingus
Mas Estela

USA

Araujo Estate Wines
Benziger Family Winery
Brick House Company
Ceago Estate Wines
Cooper Mountain Vineyards
Coturri Winery
Patianna Vineyard
Robert Sinskey Vineyard

For the French wineries listing, please go to this link:
http://aocpleine.free.fr/charte.swf