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ANZ Grow & BFEA Harvest Award - Palliser Estate Winery
1 Dec 2001
The Palliser Estate Winery is a finalist in both the Harvest and Grow sections of the awards.
Award judges commended the Martinborough company's commitment to producing profitably within an environmentally aware structure (Harvest Award) while at the same time maintaining excellent staff and community relationships (Grow Award). "We commend the balanced approach to business and the environment taken by Palliser Estate Winery", the judges said.
Both the judges and Palliser's specially appointed environmental manager Sharon Goldsworthy point to the company's operating with a "triple bottom line"; a collective commitment to profit, environment and social aspects.
Palliser Estate Winery comprises 70 ha of flat land in five blocks on the outskirts of Martinborough. The company is part of the Living Wine NZ group who were the first wineries in the world to be certified to the environmental standard ISO 14001.
The award judges noted: This commitment has led to the development of a wide range of policies that have been well thought through and carefully implemented."
An example of this is the innovative irrigation system used on the property's trees, lawns and some rootstock grape vines. The water used is all filtered and recycled from that used in the winery.
Efforts are also made to recycle solid waste. The company is commited to achieving Zero Waste and has been part of the pilot project for that run by the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Vineyard waste from pruning is mulched and left to break down between the grapevine rows. Under vine areas are mowen rather than sprayed and most spraying done is "preventative rather than curative".
"We are organic in style as much as possible" says Sharon Goldsworthy, "but we must reserve the right to go in with a spray if there is no other option and we may lose our crop. The reality is sometimes different from the theory."
Other things the judges liked:
Strong community leadership
Ongoing support of trust set up to support local school
At forefront of instigating Toast Martinborough
Educating staff to reduce waste
Very successful policy in place to reduce energy consumption
Seaweed fertilisers used in trial blocks
Manuka planted to host wasps which kill caterpillars on vines
Founding members Sustainable Winegrowing NZ group
Strong involvement with groups seeking to improve the industry
Seek out other vineyards to form discussion groups
Member of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development
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