Gwyn Williams: 30 years of NZ wine sustainability
As Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand marks 30 years, it needs to become “business as usual” for the wine industry, says viticulturist Gwyn Williams.
SWNZ has evolved into a robust, independently audited programme that now certifies 96% of New Zealand’s vineyard area and approximately 90% of wine production by volume.
New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has developed a toolkit for members to use in driving awareness of the New Zealand wine industry’s commitment to a sustainable future.
The SWNZ programme focuses on six key metrics: climate change, water, waste, plant protection, soil and people.
Te Mata Estate was one of the first members of the initiative, and one of the first to have both winery and vineyard accredited under the system. “Having backed this from the start we’re immensely proud of the programme,” they wrote in an Instagram post using the NZW toolkit.
