As apart of The New Zealand Wine Company’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and environmental impacts, we have put in place some great new innovations for the coming year.

Tanks are now hooked up to the waste heat system. This will allow us to use reclaimed energy for heating purposes such as, preparing wine prior to bottling and raising the temperature of tanks for fermentation. The waste heat system will also be utilised to heat water for cleaning purposes in the winery. The major benefit for all of this is reducing the amount of electricity used.

We have sourced wine bottles that are lighter and glass that is slightly thinner. We are now able to use smaller cartons for packaging our wines and can fit more cartons onto a pallet. As a result 25% more wine can fit into a shipping container, used to transport wine to our overseas customers. Distributors can now order more wine per container, therefore reducing the number of shipments required and carbon emissions, this is all a result of our efficient packaging configuration.

Part of our refrigeration system has been upgraded. Insulated refrigeration lines means we are using less energy.  Tanks have been computerised to monitor temperature. This enables us to control the temperature of the tanks, minimising fluctuations and increasing the consistency of the temperature.

Our viticulture team is trialing a new organic protection against Botrytis. If successful we will be looking at using it in all of our company vineyards.

 

The viticulture team has also been developing some new vineyards. As apart of the set up we have incorporated longer rows. The advantage of this is a reduction of the number of times the tractor needs to turn around; consequently the diesel consumption per hectare is reduced.

 

The New Zealand Wine Company is proud to be the first winery in the world to achieve this carboNZero^{Cert TM} certification. The certification involves addressing climate change impacts with the aim of adding no net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions to the atmosphere during the production and distribution of our wines. 

 

From the 2007 vintage onwards you will see the carboNZero^{Cert TM} logo on our Sanctuary wines. 

 

In 1996 a restoration programme was developed to repatriate the wetland located beside the winery here in Marlborough. Over 4,000 native plants have been planted in and around the wetland. In addition to this, a viewing deck was installed so visitors to the wetland have the opportunity to experience the tranquility of this environment. As a result of these developments, an increased population of birdlife to the wetland has been achieved. The wildlife the wetland has attracted has also provided us with the inspiration for our wine label’s star feature, the Pukeko.

The development of a unique waste water system for the winery reflects the ongoing commitment to conservation, recycling and caring for our environment. The waster is pumped to settling tanks, processed in the filtration unit and then irrigated onto a coppiced tree block adjacent to the winery. The water is aerated by sprinklers; some of it evaporates, while the remaining water falls to the ground. Soil micro-flora chew up the nutrients.

The winery and warehouse are both fully insulated. This means no additional energy is required to either heat or cool the warehouse. Insulation ensures a constant internal temperature ideal for storing wine. This commitment to quality guarantees that all Sanctuary wines are given the best possible care from the time the grapes arrive at the winery to the time the wine is dispatched.

In 2002 work began on our new white wine winery or “Cold Cellar”, designed to be energy efficient whilst increasing the winery’s production capacity. After the completion of the Cold Cellar, our total winery capacity was significantly increased to a total of 3100 tonnes. Possibly the most unique feature of the Cold Cellar is its passive cooling system, which utilises a computerised fan system along with a temperature monitor to gauge the internal and external temperature of the winery. When the temperature is raised within the winery past its setting, the fans located on the roof of the winery draw in cool air, only if the outside temperature is at the desired level. This consistency in temperature assists us with energy conservation as the temperature of the tanks never exceeds levels requiring excessive energy to cool them down.

 

In June 2003 our electrical contractor, Tyco Service Electrical, won the electricity industry’s supreme award for innovation and technical excellence, picking up the Electricity Contractor Association’s Safepower Excellence Award for its work on the Cold Cellar Development.

During the winemaking process a huge amount of heat energy is lost through our refrigeration plant. The installation of super-conductors on the plant recycles this heat, which is then stored as hot water in insulated tanks. This hot water is used in the winery for cleaning purposes and also in the heat exchanger for the warming of juice and wine.

The appreciation of our environment does not cease once our wines are in the bottle. The instillation of a pallet wrapper has reduced the amount of plastic going out of the warehouse – approximately one tonne per annum. It is our commitment to reduce packaging with future initiatives being explored.

In 2005 The New Zealand Wine Company was accredited by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand for its practices in the winery and vineyard. The programme focuses on all manner of environmental issues affecting the wine industry in New Zealand. It promotes a measured approach to the use of sprays, water and energy. It also fosters staff awareness, safe chemical handling, plus waste reduction, reuse and recycling. An ongoing initiative to help our grower’s gain entry into the programme is inn place.

Green Globe 21® is a company standard for the winery and vineyard. Entry into this programme will see us benchmark our environmental impacts and aid us in making year on year improvements. Participation will provide The New Zealand Wine Company with a more structured approach to environmental management. From 2006 The New Zealand Wine Company is proud to announce that from November 2006 it is a Green Globe benchmarked company.