Red, White and Green Wine

By Environmental Choice

Posted on July 28, 2009. Listed in:

Yealands Estate is evidence of what persistence and a 'can do' attitude can achieve. The rolling Awatere foothills were for years passed over for grape growing, but today boast over 1000 hectares of viticultural land.

Sustainability is at the forefront of all manner of decisions made at, and about, Yealands Estate. 'Treading lightly' on the environment extends from wetlands development, stormwater collection, solar and wind power and recycling through to sheep grazing in the rows between the vines to manage pest plants and weeds, and to eliminate the need for fertiliser, and resource-sapping mechanical mowing.

A more recent achievement is piloting the Green Star NZ Industrial building rating programme with the initial design through to construction developed in compliance with the draft Green Star NZ Industrial rating requirements.

The winery operation is located in the vineyard to minimise the distance fruit must travel in the winemaking process and focuses on energy, water and materials efficiency to minimise resource use.

In keeping with its surrounds, the winery is architecturally designed to blend with the backdrop. The 7,100 square metre production facility with two identical production halls is flanked by a 1,625 m2 receival area. The bulk of the interior has been
finished with Environmental Choice approved Resene paints.

Yealands is the first winery assessed under the new Green Star NZ Industrial building rating programme.