Creating a sustainable future in winemaking
Cowra Sustainable Wine Partnership
Media release
Vineyards, Cowra, New South Wales
Winemakers in the Cowra Wine Region are taking a leading role in the development of sustainable agriculture signing onto the Cowra Sustainable Wine Partnership.
This partnership, an initiative of the Cowra Region Vineyard Association Inc (CRVA), is aiming to produce wine of regional character with the least environment impact of any region in Australia.
The Cowra Wine Region, home to over 40 vineyards, covers an area of 1250 sq km of the beautiful Lachlan Valley of New South Wales and includes Cowra, Billimari and Canowindra. Part of the Central Ranges Wine Zone (which includes Orange and Mudgee), the region is defined by its warm days, cool nights and dry late summers – perfect conditions for ripening wine grapes.
CRVA’s partnership, which includes a number of related groups including The Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA), The Lachlan Catchment Management Authority, Charles Sturt University and the Cowra Shire Council have achieved various goals for Phase One of their action plan.
Use of council mulch: The Cowra Shire Council, in partnership with the CRVA has provided over one thousand cubic metres of mulch to local central ranges vineyards at a discounted rate. “This initiative has had real results in the region”, commented CRVA President Jason O’Dea. “It has created an avenue to utilise the green waste which was viewed as a problem by the council.”
“The Department of Industry and Investment, in conjunction with the CRVA have undertaken trials during the last three years, showing measurable benefits of mulch as a water saving proposition in the vineyards, with the added bonus of reducing chemical inputs. This is a great result and as our goal was to achieve tangible benefits, not some rhetoric about the environment without quantitative results.”
Decrease chemical usage: As part of the strategy there has been a measurable decrease in the use of chemicals in the region. The recently completed survey by the CRVA of local vignerons showed that since 2005 there has been a decrease in the number of different sprays used by 50 percent. During the same period, there has been a 30 percent reduction in the quantity of spray used on these vineyards. This result has been a part of a well planned strategy to ensure more of the Cowra and Canowindra growers have access to alternative information and assistance when it comes to changing vineyard management to a more sustained and environmentally positive system.
Move to organic practises: Wallington Wines of Canowindra has recently gained organic accreditation for their vineyard and olive grove. Swinging Bridge, under the guidance of co-owner Tom Ward, is planning to gain accreditation by 2012.
“We are committed to a more sustainable future,” commented Tom. “It is a natural progression for us, and with the huge support from other winegrowers in the region, a relatively straight forward one. There is a great deal of knowledge on biodynamic and organic practices in the area and everyone is eager to share their experience and show where grape quality has been increased.”
The conversion of these two vineyards will take the total number of organically accredited vineyards in the region to five, representing nearly 50 per cent of the branded winegrowers. A number of other vineyards are moving in a similar direction as they adopt measures that are currently used by the accredited vineyards
Salinity measurement: Other areas that are advancing in the partnership include the LCMA Community Stream Sampling Project. This project is seeing the partners working together to measure the salinity in the water in Cowra’s Belubula River as well as the region’s bores. This data will assist in understanding the sources of salinity within the catchment and therefore build a knowledge base from which to develop solutions.
Biodiversity enhancement through tree planting targets: In the winter of 2008, CRVA members set themselves the target of planting one tree per hectare (on each of their properties), over a three year period. The plan focuses on planting local native species with particular focus on watercourses and reinvigorating remnant and ‘at risk’ native vegetation. Windowrie have been one of the leading members, having plant 2000 trees and ‘locking up’ over 30 acres of land to in order to return it to natural vegetation.
Compost facility development project: Negotiations are currently underway with Cowra Shire Council, local dairies, food processors and other potential suppliers and interested parties for the development of a local composting unit. The plan is to produce compost in economic volumes for use by CRVA grape growers.
The ‘Pig In The house’ vineyard is in its second year of compost trials using grape marc, straw and local dairy manure. The results to date have been excellent, with improved soil composition and water retention. Planning is in place to grow the straw next to the vineyard as part of the crop rotations.
One of the key drivers for this partnership, according to the CRVA, is to create a better future for the region whilst building the quality of the wines.
“We firmly believe that through organic and biodynamic practises the quality of our wines will increase. Many of the vignerons are already seeing results, especially Herb Gardner from Gardners Ground whose (organic) 2008 Shiraz was awarded the Red Wine of the Show (as well as the Organic Wine of the Show) at the recent Cowra Region Wine Awards,” explained Jason.
David Cumming, Define Wine
Regions
- Central Ranges (NSW)
- Cowra (NSW)
- Explorer Country (NSW)
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Cowra and Canowindra have been producing wines commercially for over three decades but both fly under the radar despite a number of excellent producers offering good value for money »
Gardners Ground is an organic vineyard located on the southern bank of the Belubula River in Canowindra in NSW. The climate in Canowindra provides hot summers and ... read more
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Wallington WinesThe Wallingtons established their vineyard in 1992 in Canowindra, NSW. Since Anthony's death in 2003, Margaret and her 4 daughters have continued to produce the ... read more
Pig In The House Organic WinePig in the House Organic Wine is located in Billimari, about 20km from Cowra in the Central Ranges of NSW. The property was originally home to 20 free-range pigs ... read more
Swinging Bridge VineyardSwinging Bridge Estate was first planted in 1995 by the Ward and the Payten families with an initial planting of Shiraz and Chardonnay. The vineyard is located to ... read more
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