Wine is a direct reflection of the world it comes from; the climate, the soil and the local ecosystem. In the wine world, we call it ‘terroir’, and it’s what makes wine unique and special. It also means that wine growers and producers now, more than ever, have a particular responsibility to protect and preserve the conditions that make wine so beautiful.
At De Bortoli Wines, we’re committed to doing our part to protect the unique environment that supports our wine, and one way we achieve this is through sustainable waste management.
Want to see our sustainable practices in action? Come visit us at one of our vineyards.
Nearly every business produces some waste - in fact, Australian waste is growing at roughly double the rate of the population. But what exactly does this mean? And how do we make it sustainable?
You’d be surprised how many definitions of waste exist in the world - particularly in a legal sense. The Australian government has a 27 page document devoted just to figuring it out.
For our purposes, though, let’s define waste as anything that needs to be disposed of instead of consumed - whether that’s packaging, leftover food, organic material, industrial byproducts or just about anything else.
In the wine industry, waste products can include vineyard byproducts like vine trimmings, lees, grape skins and seeds in the winemaking process, and packaging at the consumer end.
Sustainable waste management seeks to reduce, repurpose and reuse waste products, rather than simply disposing of them. This is an idea known as the ‘circular economy’ - what Clean Up Australia calls “an alternative to the linear economy, where all materials are treated as precious resources, with nothing thrown away”.
For producers like De Bortoli Wines, commitment to sustainable waste management means finding ways to reduce and repurpose waste at every stage of the wine journey, from growing to winemaking, logistics and consumption.
Whether it’s in the winery, other businesses or our everyday lives, taking a sustainable approach to waste can make a real impact on the world around us. Here’s how:
In industries like agriculture (which is the industry encompassing wine growing), waste can actively harm the environment. Correct disposal or reuse of chemical and organic waste can significantly reduce negative environmental impact.
Even at the consumer end, we understand that not every item of waste ought to go to landfill. Glass, paper, certain plastics and metals can all be recycled into useful products, rather than slowly degrading in landfill. In wine, as other agricultural businesses, much green waste is able to return its value to the winery - as compost, for example.
Focusing on reusing waste products or preventing waste in the first place means less impact on the natural environment. Think about e-waste, as an example. If pieces of technology are repurposed and recycled rather than sent to landfill, there is less demand on the processes (like mining and manufacturing) that produce those products and consume resources in doing so.
At De Bortoli Wines, we’re committed to the process of sustainable waste management across our vineyards, wineries and products. Our ultimate goal is to be a zero waste company - one which utilises the ideas of the circular economy successfully, reducing our overall environmental impact. Here are a few of our key achievements and successful practices:
Started in 2011, the De Bortoli Method is a circular approach to sustainability as it takes a waste product and recycles it for reuse. The De Bortoli Method aims to significantly reuse the chemicals used to clean winery tanks and machinery, while improving wastewater and soil quality at De Bortoli’s wastewater farm. It uses a form of electrolysis to recover potassium from spent winery wash-water to produce a potassium hydroxide (KOH) cleaning solution. As a result in 2016, De Bortoli wines was recognised by the Department of Environment and Heritage as a Platinum Project holder, being the first company to be recognised for this achievement.
We’ve been a signatory to the covenant since 2002 and it informs our goal of increasingly sustainable packaging for our entire wine range. The 2022 annual report listed De Bortoli Wines near the top of its ratings, which takes into account goals like reducing litter, using renewable and recycled materials in packaging and providing consumers the information they need to reduce packaging waste.
Organic farming is about so much more than just waste management, including goals like using no synthetic pesticides, and using sustainable farming practices.
Keen to learn more about our sustainable waste management and other vineyard practices? Visit our blog to stay up to date.
As we at De Bortoli Wines continue our journey of sustainability, we’re pleased to be able to share our knowledge and passion the way we know best - through our wine.
Across our entire range you’ll reap the benefits of sustainable waste management, including our commitment to composting, sustainable water management and sustainable packaging. We also invite you to explore our range of organic wines and our sustainably produced 17 TREES wine range.
We’re proud to share our commitment to sustainability and to play a role in further educating the world on its importance. If you’re interested to learn more about our sustainable waste management, our other eco-friendly practices or take a more detailed look at how our wineries work, read on:
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