SUSTAINABILITY
A thoughtful and light footprint in the vines and in the winery
Hewitson is a member of Sustainable Wine Growing Australia - a national program for producers, committed to making wine sustainably.
Acknowledging the need for winemakers to decrease their carbon footprint not just as a holistic responsibility towards planet Earth but also demand by consumers globally, the Hewitson winery team have passionately committed to environmental sustainability.Â
SYMBIOTIC
This is an ongoing pursuit underpinned by using a symbiotic approach to viticulture and winemaking, adopting the latest methodology to minimise electricity use, carbon footprint, water use and waste generation.
Use of recycled water is a practice that benefits both the vineyard and winery alike. "We take rainwater used for cleaning and pass it through our water recycling plant to enable us to use in vineyards and fields " explains Dean. "These practices benefit the native grasses and trees, leading to increased natural absorption of carbon into the ground, eliminating erosion and cooling our vineyards, thus significantly improving the quality of our wine.
The winery has a state of the art solar technology such that the winery rarely draws electricity from the grid.
BIODIVERSITY
Ongoing soil health management to enhance grape quality and yields but also to foster biodiversity. This involves eradicating weeds, building organic matter and then permanently mulching under vines to encourage biodiversity.
River red gum re-planting on the Para River bordering the Estate vineyard has restored the Estate’s river flats to pre-1800’s settlement conditions. The strip is alive with local wildlife along with providing a sink for atmospheric carbon.
