Excellent Wine + Natural Environment Preservation
"The NZ wine industry is in a very strong position with all the building blocks in place in terms of knowledge, organization, communication, enthusiasm, talent and terroir (and brand recognition) and it is fantastic to see wineries and growers collaborating together for the common good, under the umbrella of sustainability".
To New Zealand’s winemakers and grape growers, sustainability means delivering excellent wine to consumers while helping the natural environment, local businesses and communities involved to thrive. For New Zealand’s wine industry, it represents a commitment to protect the places that make our famous wines.
Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand is widely recognized as a world-leading sustainability program and was one of the first to be established in the international wine industry in 1997. Today, 98% of New Zealand’s vineyard producing area is Sustainable Wine Growing NZ certified, with 7% also operating under recognized certified organic programs.
What Sustainability Means To Us
For New Zealand’s wine industry, it means a commitment to protect the places that make our famous wines. Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand is widely recognized as a world-leading sustainability program and was one of the first to be established in the international wine industry in 1997. In the mid-1990s, after considerable testing, the industry launched this holistic vineyard program. SWNZ was designed to provide a 'best practice' model of environmental practices in the vineyard and winery.
Realizing the New Zealand wine industry can achieve more together than alone, the program was elected by grape growers across the country, followed by wineries with the establishment of sustainable winery certification standards in 2002. Today, 98% of New Zealand’s vineyard producing area is Sustainable Wine Growing NZ certified, with 7% also operating under recognized certified organic programs.
Monitor, measure, reduce... repeat.
Sustainable certification must be awarded through an independently audited program - either Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand or a recognized organic or biodynamic certification. Recognized certification programs include Asure Quality, BioGro-NZ, Demeter, ISO 140001 and New Zealand Winegrowers’ own certification program, Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand®, SWNZ®.
Sustainable Wine Growing NZ
Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) is an industry-wide certification program led by New Zealand Winegrowers.
SWNZ
In the mid-1990’s, after considerable testing, the industry launched a holistic vineyard program, which has since become known as Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.
The Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) program is based on continuous improvement and adherence to recommendations and guidelines issued by the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV).
SWNZ was developed to:
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Provide 'best practice' model of environmental practices in the vineyard and winery
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Guarantee better quality assurance from the vineyard, right through to the bottle
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Address consumer concerns regarding products, while respecting the environment
SWNZ ensures members meet international standards for sustainability practices while helping the environment, businesses and local communities to thrive. The program was introduced commercially in 1997 and adopted by grape growers across the country’s winegrowing regions.
Sustainable winery certification standards were established in 2002 and adopted by New Zealand wineries, closing the circle on the industry’s sustainability commitment. In 2016, 98% of New Zealand’s vineyard producing area was Sustainable Winegrowing NZ certified, with another 7% operating under recognized certified organic programs.