Wine Tasmania has released its sustainability report for the 2022/23 season, and has recognized two wineries for their exemplary sustainable practices over the period.
The report was produced as part of the voluntary VinØ (‘vin zero’) program, a framework to help Tasmanian wine producers reduce the negative impacts of winemaking on the environment and local communities.
Paul Smart, Wine Tasmania’s Viticulture & Winemaking Officer, explained some of the findings of the report.
“The VinØ program covers all aspects of vineyard and winery management, such as soil health, biodiversity, carbon emissions, waste and water management, biosecurity, social and human resources. In 2023, practices in biodiversity, carbon emissions, waste management, pest and disease management, and biosecurity have all improved. Biodiversity will continue to be a key focus area in 2024, along with winery practices and one-on-one support for program members,” he said.
This season, 41 per cent of Tasmania’s vineyard area was managed under the VinØ program, with 20 per cent of VinØ members also undertaking external certification through organizations such as Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and Australian Certified Organic. To measure progress on sustainable initiatives, VinØ member wineries were scored on a scale of one to four, with four representing industry best practice. The 2023 report shows that the average score for members is 2.30, up from 2.23 last year. In addition, 65 percent of members scored two or higher. Pest and disease management was the most sustainable aspect among VinØ members, with an average score of 2.83.
Alongside the release of the report, Smart announced the two VinØ Program awards for 2023, with Stargazer Wines in the Coal River Valley being named the 2023 VinØ Program Champion and Westella Vineyard in the Tamar Valley being named the 2023 VinØ Program Most Improved Producer.
Accepting the award on behalf of Stargazer, Bryn Williams said:
“We are thrilled to receive the VinØ Program Champion award this year. It shows the impact that small incremental changes can have on a business. It’s been very valuable for Stargazer to evaluate its own processes through the VinØ framework. There is always room for improvement and reflection, and our business will continue to evolve as the VinØ program develops and expands in the future.
Jacquie Adkins from Westella Vineyard said:
“After joining VinØ, we quickly realized the value of the program’s organizational framework. VinØ has become an essential tool for Westella as we strive for continuous improvement and identify areas of our vineyard operations that require focus. Winning the award was a welcome recognition of the planning, paperwork and physical effort that goes into developing a vineyard and achieving high quality fruit.
