Another Reason to Buy from Small Family Wineries

Until the end of 2020 a chemical called chlorpyrifos was legal to use in agriculture. It's a very dangerous chemical related to chemical weapons developed by the Nazis during WWII. It's used to kill pests by acting on their nervous system. Another fine product from Dow Chemical put into production after their other fine product, DDT, was banned.

There have been lots of studies showing the harmful effect
of chlorpyrifos. This one from Columbia University

Here is the story on it final days:

Adieu to Chlorpyrifos: 1 in 20 Acres of California Vines Will No Longer Be Sprayed with Neurotoxin Related to Nazi's Nerve Gas

If you don't want to read the details, just know that in Sonoma County this happened in the wine you might be drinking now:

In 2015 Gallo sprayed 147 gallons of chlorpyrifos on 400 acres at Two Rock on a Chardonnay vineyard. 

Kendall Jackson used 16 gallons on 13 acres on Brown's Lane in Petaluma.

Sonoma Cutrer sprayed it on 100 acres in Sonoma County in 2017.

Anyone that cares about people or the land would not do this. You'll generally find that the family operations are primarily concerned with the land and their people, whereas the bigger operations are focused on profit, sometimes at the expense of others.