Movement Towards Eco-friendliness Among South Australia Wineries

South Australia is one of the most renowned wine regions of the world. The region is considered synonymous to the production of elegant and juicy wines reflective of the grape varietal as well as the regional characters. As if one needed yet another reason to love South Australian wines, the region has delivered us with a new piece of information.

Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Kay Brothers and Wirra Wirra, all 3 of which are famous South Australian wineries, have been awarded by the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) for their dedication and commitment to preserving the environment and implementing energy efficient methods for producing wine.

Pernod Ricard has cut its CO₂ emissions by a whopping level of more than 8500 tonnes per year. Wirra Wirra has installed an efficient refrigeration plant, which allows them to save lots of energy. Kay Brothers has made use of rooftop solar panels, which makes up for about 70% of the winery’s total energy utilization. Lean production strategies are also a specialty of the Kay Brothers wine company.

These wineries joined hands with Green Industries SA so as to enhance their energy efficiency as well as improve the impact they have on the environment. Pernod Ricard, producer of the reputed Jacob’s Creek wines brand, plans to reduce its energy use by 20% and CO₂ emission by about 30% by the end of this decade.

The movement towards turning eco-friendly is being adopted by wineries across the region, be these small, medium or large scale wineries. Various wineries throughout SA have even made small but significant changes to their winemaking processes. One such example is bulk fermentation of sparkling wines in order to save energy from glass manufacture, storage, wine processing and transport.

South Australia is booming with innovative and creative ideas to enhance production and quality while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and helping Mother Nature. Other wine regions across the world should definitely take inspiration!