At Neudorf, we see sustainable practices as those which conserve and build up our natural resources rather than running them down. Back in the 80s we were instrumental in helping establish the Sustainable Winegrowing NZ scheme, and our winery is acredited under the more recently established Sustainable Winery NZ scheme.
The scheme covers our whole operation, from the choice of “soft sprays” to increased biodiversity in the vineyard, through best practice in the winery, to the composting of grape skins and sprinkling of waste water back to the land.
In the old days our composting was simply “dumping and waiting” but today it is more sophisticated.
Its now more appropriately compost cuisine, with wood waste and other goodies added and its own bunding and leachate catchment. We add a biological “starter” broth, a combination of useful organisms which we brew up with molasses for a few weeks before adding to the pile. Then cover with a plastic sheet and in a few short months we are presented with rich black compost – and a million worms. This is spread back on the vineyard, particularly in areas low in organic matter and microorganisms.
We have been irrigating the leachate onto our sheep paddocks, diluted with winery wastewater. But the next trick is to see if there is value in sprinkling it back through the vineyard over the mulched prunings, to speed up their decomposition and reduce the chance for disease spore development.
For over two decades our viticulture has revolved around enabling the vines to naturally resist disease. This is accomplished by by the use of thin layer upright trellising, with manual crop and leaf removal to allow sunlight and air through the canopy.
Our trialing of soft sprays and under-vine techniques to increase beneficial plant and soil microflora has recently moved up a gear with the arrival of Richard Flatman, a viticulturalist with a wealth of experience in organic viticulture. We now have trial blocks on two vineyards where we are using organic practices and sprays only, as we work through the organic management practices best suited to our soils and climate.
Over winter our small flock of Suffolk sheep is reinforced by a larger mob of neighbouring Romneys. Together they do a great job of keeping the pasture in check, without the need for tractor mowing, thus reducing compaction of the winter soils.
Over the past year or two we have also taken steps to measure and reduce our collective “Neudorf Vineyards” carbon footprint. We measure water and power usage, petrol and diesel, and everyone is committed to greater efficiency and the reduction of waste. The sorting of rubbish is endemic – plastics, bottles, screwcaps and cardboard recycled; labelled bins abound, including biodegradables for our small family of fowls.