Sustainable Winegrowing

New Zealand has long been famed for its stunning unspoilt landscape. New Zealand’s small population, isolated location and agricultural economy have earned the country a “clean, green” image. New Zealand grape growers and winemakers aim to keep it that way by protecting the environmental integrity of their wine production.

To this end the Summerhouse vineyard is environmentally friendly and has been accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) for over a decade. Each year buckwheat and clover are planted between the vines to encourage beneficial insects into the vineyard, technological advances are investigated and resources are managed efficiently.

SWNZ is a vineyard management programme with a holistic focus that guides vineyard operators towards sustainable management practices using a combination of education, encouragement, measurement and assessment against a background philosophy of continuous improvement. The SWNZ was developed to:

• Provide a “best practice” model of environmental practices in the vineyard and winery.
• Guarantee better quality assurance from the vineyard through to the bottle.
• Address consumer concerns in matters pertaining to the environment and wine grape production.