“Wakefield Wines is a family owned wine company operating in both rural and urban environments. This direct link with the land, along with the long term view we hold for our business development, results in a commitment to operating in a manner that eliminates any negative impact on the environment.”
Mitchell Taylor, Managing Director& Winemaker
To find out about our Eighty Acres 100% Carbon Neutral range, download the pdf documents below:
Other Environmental Initiatives
Our Environmental Initiatives…
Wakefield is committed to protecting its local natural environment and pursuing broader ecologically sustainable outcomes for the company. To deliver on this goal, the company has adopted an extensive Environmental Action Plan focusing on best practice viticulture techniques along with water & energy conservation and management. This Plan is made up of a number of key initiatives:
Eighty Acres Carbon Footprint Assessment
In 2008 Wakefield Wines engaged Provisor to develop a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model for the entire Eighty Acres range of wines. In developing this model Provisor worked extensively with Wakefield Wines and their supply chain partners to collect data associated with the unique production and distribution of every product in the Eighty Acres range of wines. The finished model was then independently verified by RMIT University in May 2009.
The completion and verification of this model means that wakefield Wines can now accurately measure the carbon footprint of each product in the entire Eighty Acres range of wines and take steps to neutralise the associated carbon emissions.
Following a detailed review, Wakefield Wines chose Carbon Neutral as their partner for the purchase of carbon offsets credits.
Established in 2001, Carbon Neutral is a not for profit organisation certified by the Australian Federal Government to procure and sell carbon emission credits – known as Verified Emission Reductions Units (VERs). Each VERs is equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions (CO²e) avoided.
Wakefield Wines and Carbon Neutral are committed to purchasing their VERs through domestic projects, independently certified by the Australian Federal Government, ensuring the avoided emissions maximise the benefit to the local environment. Further, we are committed to restoring biodiversity and improving degraded land through revegetation projects which achieve multiple benefits.
For each tonne of VERs purchased by Wakefield Wines, Carbon Neutral will plant one tree.
The planting programme for these trees can be followed online via the Carbon Neutral website. Each tree planted is legally protected for at least 70 years and assists in providing benefits such as wind breaks, reducing soil erosion, helping combat salinity, improving biodiversity, sequestering carbon and creating habitat for native fauna.
ISO 14001 Accreditation – Environmental Management
In March 2009 Wakefield Wines received ISO 14001 accreditation for its Environmental Management Systems (EMS) at both the Winery, in Auburn, Clare Valley, and its Head Office operations in Petersham, Sydney. The EMS assists in the identification and control of environmental impacts across the business whilst providing a framework for continuous improvements in environmental management. In consultation and partnership with environmental specialists Green Ochre , Wakefield Wines used Eco-Mapping™ as the framework for the preparation of its EMS.
Eco-Mapping
Wakefield Wines has implemented EcoMapping™ - an advanced system to audit the environmental impact of the company and adjust practice accordingly. The system is endorsed by the South Australian Environmental Protection Agency and allows a company to effectively analyse and manage environmental performance.
Through the creation of a series of visual “mud maps”, Eco-Mapping enables Wakefield Wines to audit their environmental impact on a number of key measures:
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• Water consumption
• Waste
• Noise and air emissions
• Soil contamination
• Environmental risks
The use of Eco-Mapping™ since 2006 has directly lead to the creation of a series of environmental best practices across the business and provided the framework for Wakefield Wines Environmental Management System (EMS).
Light Weight Glass for our Wine Bottles
With the Eighty Acres range, Wakefield Wines are amongst the first Australian wine producers to use O-I’s new LEAN+GREEN range of premium light weight glass wine bottles.
This innovative new premium lighter weight glass is almost 40% lighter than the original glass used to package the Eighty Acres range and delivers significant energy and water efficiencies per bottle.
The environmental benefits don’t stop there –
This new glass bottle also delivers a reduction in CO²e per bottle of more than 15%*
Wakefield Wines also uses a range of other environmentally friendly light weight glass bottles for its Estate and Promised Land wine ranges.
* OI-30570 & OI-30571 versus OI-30163
Water Recycling
In 2005 Wakefield Wines commissioned its state of the art Water Recycling Plant located at the Auburn Winery in the Clare Valley. Operating continuously, the plant recycles 100% of the waste water generated by the winery and bottling hall. This water is then stored in one of two lined dams on site for re-use on the more than 550ha of estate vineyards. In addition to the recycling of waste water, all of the storm water and associated run off from winery buildings is also harvested for re-use. Two "lined" dams (110 mega litres & 160 mega litres) are utilized with all irrigation carried out using computer controlled “need-only’ dripper lines to each vine.
Composting
All solid organic waste material produced in the winemaking process, including grape marc, is utilised as compost on the vineyards. During the winemaking process, these materials are collected for composting on site at the winery.
No water is added to the compost and the mix is regularly ‘turned’ during the composting process. The temperature inside the compost heap reaches 60-70ºC. This sterilises the grape seeds and kills any pathogenic microbes. The end result is a carbon rich material which is spread in the vineyard to condition and improve the soil.
Vineyard Mulching
Since 2001, Wakefield Wines have been using organic matter to mulch the soil under the vines planted on their Clare Valley estate. This provides benefits such as superior root growth near the soil surface to utilise water and nutrients, enhanced earthworm and soil microbe activity for healthier soils and reduced weed growth (requiring minimal herbicide use). In addition to our own compost, materials used for mulching include straw from farmers in surrounding districts and recycled green organic waste purchased from local third party suppliers.
Organic Cultivation Practices - Sheep in the Vineyards
In 2009, Wakefield Wines reintroduced sheep into our vineyards for the first time in 25 years. The sheep, which are allowed to roam free within specific vineyard blocks, have been introduced as a means to keep winter grasses and weeds under control.
This has lead to an immediate reduction in the requirements for pesticide use to control weeds and associated diesel fuel usage to run the spray tractors.
An associated benefit is also that the manure waste from the sheep is also be used as a natural fertiliser and soil conditioner for the vines.
Minimisation of Pesticide use
Insecticide application in the vineyards is minimised at all times with no broad spectrum insecticides in use. By continuous vineyard monitoring, targeted spraying only takes place in the worst affected areas. In addition, any fungicide used in the vineyards are certified for organic production. This project is in the early stages and is a partnership between community, business and government. It has received funding approval from the government.
Green Power
Since 2008, Wakefield Wines Head Office in Petersham, Sydney, has been powered by renewable energy purchased through the NSW Government’s GreenPower accreditation programme.
Wakefield Wines Head Office is home to the following functions:
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• Executive
• Finance
• Marketing
• Sales
• Administration
Regeneration of the local Wakefield River
The Wakefield River flows in a southerly direction through Auburn in the Clare Valley before turning west to flow through Balaklava and into the Port Wakefield estuary.
Wakefield Wines, through the formation of the River Wakefield Group, has championed a project to regenerate the Wakefield River with control of weed species and the planting of local indigenous vegetation to enhance biodiversity.
Clinton Taylor – Our Environmental Ambassador
The youngest of the three Taylor brothers, Clinton joined the family business in 1995.
As well as fulfilling his duties as Project Manager - Sales & Production, Clinton has also taken on the role of Wakefield Wines Environmental Ambassador.
In this capacity Clinton is champion for Wakefield Wines’ broader environmental initiatives as well as overseeing the management of the 100% Carbon Neutral program for the Eighty Acres range. Clinton is also the current Chairman of the River Wakefield Group.
“…our commitment to the environment is like our commitment to family – our future success is intricately tied to its health.” Clinton Taylor.
