ENVIRONMENT

DE BORTOLI ENVIRONMENT INITIATIVES SUMMARY

In recent times we have changed our thinking and approach to growing grapes and making wine. This change has been made for both philosophical and pragmatic reasons but is driven by our desire to leave a sustainable legacy for future generations; an idea that has resonance for any family-owned company.We are conscious of the need to operate all aspects of our business in a manner that is respectful of the environment and are confident that this attitude will help us to make better wine from healthy vines and soils for generations to come.With numerous operational sites around Australia and increased production and expansion into the export markets, we are ever looking at reductions in water consumption, electricity, packaging materials and general waste.We have signed on to nationwide covenants aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, packaging and chemical use. We have assisted in establishing programs that aim to offset carbon emissions in the wine industry, and are participating in schemes such as the planting of native trees to help reduce salinity and combat rising water tables.

Water Management

A new low-energy wastewater treatment facility at our Bilbul, NSW winery has been commissioned to allow us to irrigate fodder crops and decrease our carbon footprint. We currently save $200,000 a year in electricity alone with this system.An aerobic biological water treatment plant in the Yarra Valley allows us to recycle all of our wastewater streams from winery, restaurant and tourism facility for irrigation purposes.Composting and mulching of many of our vineyards have reduced water requirements by as much as 50%. Similarly the use of film technology (spreading a layer of hydrated lime over the surface of the dams) on the evaporation of water from our 'on farm' storage is also making water savings of near 30%.Elimination of all sodium based cleaning products means that all winery wastewater is plant useable and with the added benefit that we don’t contribute to Australia’s troubling salinity issues.

Biological / Organic Farming Practices

The De Bortoli family cultivates over 700 Ha of vineyards in Victoria and NSW and purchases fruit from over 300 grape growers Australia wide. Viticultural practices throughout all of our grower base is subject to a strict program that ensures practices and sprays are recorded and submitted to us for audit and compliance.In our own vineyards we are moving toward a more biological approach to viticulture which will lead to certain estate grown vineyards being certified organic. Programs are in place in our Yarra Valley and Hunter Valley vineyards that will transition these sites entirely to organic over a 5 year program. Certain vineyards in both the Riverina and King Valley will be converted over the same time frame. It is certainly important that we lead the way for our grower base in the early stages of these changes. There is an increasing move toward Biological Farming which incorporates more of the measuring of the microbial activity of beneficial organisms in both the soil and the vine canopy

Packaging

As a signatory to the National Packaging Covenant, De Bortoli is committed to reducing the environmental impacts of packaging by 65% over the next 3 years. Wine boxes with no dividers and lighter weight bottles are just some of the initiatives being trialled. Recycling of packaging materials coming into the wineries is also being encouraged and implemented.

Carbon Footprint and Offset InitiativesLow energy waste-water treatment facilities have reduced energy consumption by over 90%. We are now a signatory to Australia’s Greenhouse Challenge Plus initiative. The company has started its own ’17 Trees’ program -17 trees are planted for each company vehicle in use. We are also founding members of ‘Food For Trees’, an initiative where leading Melbourne restaurants commit to tree planting in and around Melbourne to both offset emissions as well as to provide habitats for endangered indigenous fauna.
Waste ManagementThe ultimate aim is to be a Zero Waste Wine Company. This involves management of waste streams – water, grape marc, paper, cardboard etc – so they become useful to other parts of the business (irrigation, compost etc).

Education, Research & Development

De Bortoli is a major participant of the wine industry environment policy that looks at waste management and recycling. Our company conducts seminars on environmental legislation and has created a course to improve the environmental awareness for employees.There are plenty of pragmatic reasons to move to a more sustainable way of making wine – regulation and the cost saving from improved efficiency among them – but the De Bortoli environmental initiatives also stem from a desire to safeguard a future where good wine and a healthy environment can be enjoyed for generations to come.