News

World leading global drinks company, Australian Vintage announces certification of 100% of its owned and operated vineyards by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia.

Australian Vintage is one of Australia’s largest vineyard owners with over 2,600 hectares under vine, growing and sourcing premium grapes from some of Australia’s most iconic wine regions including Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills in South Australia, Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Murray Darling in Victoria/New South Wales and the Riverland region of South Australia. The company’s pillar brands include Tempus Two, Nepenthe, McGuigan Wines and Barossa Valley Wine Company.

External auditors, National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA) and Sci-Qual International, conducted the recent audits, with no corrective actions required, showing Australian Vintage’s true commitment and understanding of sustainable winegrowing practices from grape to glass.

Australian Vintage Senior Viticulture Manager Jurie Germishuys says, “The SWA certification supports Australian Vintage in progressing our sustainability roadmap – incorporating regenerative agriculture practices and monitoring impact. Across our vineyards we’ve installed soil moisture probes that allow us to water when required, preventing excess water use and soil erosion, as well as replacing machinery and equipment with energy efficient alternatives like our electric forklifts. We’ll continue to investigate native plant species to increase biodiversity and attract beneficial insects.”

Germishuys adds, “The certification is a great achievement of our operations and viticulture teams at each site and the business as a whole, as we formalise our approach and commitment to sustainable winemaking. It’s important we do good – for the land, our business and future generations.”

Sustainable Winegrowing Australia encourages continuous improvement across all elements including:

• Water: maximising water use efficiency
• Energy: switching to renewable energy sources
• Land and soil: protecting and enhancing soil for long-term productivity
• Waste: avoiding, reducing and finding innovative uses for waste
• Biodiversity: restoring flora and fauna
• People and business: fostering strong supply chain and local community relations

Dr Mardi Longbottom, Manager Sustainability and Viticulture at the Australian Wine Research Institute, who manages the technical aspects of the program, says, “We are encouraged by the momentum and increasing ambition of our growing membership and are confident we will achieve world-leading recognition. By purchasing wines from a certified producer, consumers can feel confident that they’re supporting sustainable-minded growers and winemakers, who are on a journey to shape the Australian wine community for good.”

Recent data shows 65% of Australian wine drinkers say they prefer sustainable made wine.* Meanwhile, 54% of global wine drinkers only trust sustainable wine that is officially certified^.

ENDS

*IWSR, Wine Intelligence, SOLA. 2023
^IWSR, Wine Intelligence, SOLA. 2023