ORGANIC AND

B I O DYN A M I C W I N E
Notes

AU STR AL IAN WI NE DISCO VERED

YOUR N O T E S
 Australia’s unique climate and
landscape have fostered a fiercely
independent wine scene, home
to a vibrant community of growers,
winemakers, viticulturists, and
vignerons. With more than 100
grape varieties grown across 65
distinct wine regions, we have the
freedom to make exceptional wine,
and to do it our own way. We’re not
beholden by tradition, but continue
to push the boundaries in the pursuit
of the most diverse, thrilling wines
in the world. That’s just our way.

Notes
 The Australian wine community
is finding bold, creative and
innovative ways to ensure
our long-term environmental,
social and economic viability,
meeting consumer demands and
protecting our diverse terroirs.

DID YOU KNOW?

Australia has the largest amount
of certified-organic agricultural
land worldwide.

Notes
 TODAY

WE’LL - Organic and biodynamic

viticulture and
winemaking in Australia
- Other environmental
considerations

COVER…
- Producer case studies
- The rise in
alternative varieties

Notes
KEY CONCEPTS:
O RG A N I C
V I T I C U LT U R E
Grapes are grown and processed using no synthetic
or artificial additives, chemicals, herbicides, pesticides,
fertilisers or genetically modified products and organisms.

Notes
C E RT I F I E D
The whole winemaking process –
from growing the vines to bottling the
wine – must be organic. Not all wines

O RGA N I C
labelled ‘organic’ are certified.

Notes
 Biodynamic grapegrowers try
to achieve a balanced vineyard
ecosystem using techniques and
tools derived from the vineyard
itself. They often take their cues
on when to plant and harvest
from the cycles of the moon.

BIODYNAMIC
V I T I C U LT U R E

Notes
VINEYARD MANAGEMENT:
T H R E E V I T I C U LT U R A L
A P P ROAC H E S
CONVENTIONAL
(NON-ORGANIC) VITICULTURE
draws on a range of agricultural
practices, including traditional
farming methods, some synthetic
sprays and fertilisers, modern
technology and environmentally-
conscious approaches.
Notes
ORGANIC VITICULTURE
can also draw on both traditional
and modern farming practices
but avoids the use of synthetic
fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides.
Instead, organic materials such
as rock phosphate, plant-based
materials, animal-based products
and chemical-free sprays are used.
BIODYNAMIC VITICULTURE
is drawn from the ideas of
Rudolf Steiner. It’s similar
to organic viticulture,
but also incorporates the
phases of the moon and
special soil preparations.
LU N A R CYC L E
AND BIODYNAMIC VITICULTURE

ays ROO
BEST TIME TO
HARVEST GRAPES
d T BEST TIME
FOR PRUNING
Moon is in Aries,
t Moon is in Virgo,
Frui

da
Leo or Sagittarius Taurus or Capricorn

ys
F LO

ys
ER

da
L e af
BEST TIME TO LEAVE
W

BEST TIME TO

da y s
VINEYARD ALONE IRRIGATE
Moon is in Aquarius, Moon is in Pisces,
Libra or Gemini Cancer or Scorpio

Notes
 OTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS
FOR VINEYARDS
AND WINERIES

Notes
 - Increasing irrigation efficiency
- Modifying irrigation practices in
response to heatwaves and frosts
- Retaining soil moisture
- Using alternative varieties,
rootstocks or both
- Modifying canopy-management
practices
- Establishing vineyards in cooler
ate
Adapting to c lim
regions, sourcing cooler-climate
fruit or both
anGE
and c limate c h
- Delaying pruning to manipulate
harvest dates

Notes
 CarBOn neutrality y
c
and ENERgy effic iEN
- Reducing fuel use, e.g. minimising
use of tractors and other vehicles,
changing grasses planted
between vine rows to reduce
need for mowing
- Reducing refrigeration in
winemaking and using more
energy-efficient heating methods
- Switching to lightweight bottles
(fewer carbon emissions and
less fuel for transport)
- Installing solar panels

Notes
 Increasing vinEYa RD
biod ivERsity
- Planting cover crops or using mulch
to increase plant diversity and ‘good’
insects that can eliminate pests
- Minimising mechanical cultivation
to reduce soil compaction,
which improves soil drainage and
aeration, allowing water infiltration
and biological activity
- Regularly monitoring soil quality
- Monitoring pests and disease and
using environmentally friendly sprays
- Using low-input, organic and
biodynamic farming practices;
avoiding chemicals; and employing
compost and manure

Notes
 C O M P OST I N G
A N D M U LC H I N G
- COMPOST: Decayed organic material
that contains humus, which breaks
down animal and vegetable matter.
Humus aids soil fertility, improves soil
structure and provides moisture
- MULCH: Material that grapegrowers
spread over grapevine roots to
protect them

Notes
WAT E R C O N S E RVAT I O N ,
WATER REUSE
AND WASTEWATER - Drier regions rely on water

MANAGEMENT
conservation, reuse and
wastewater management.
Some innovative Australian
wineries have gone so far
as to establish their own
wastewater-recycling facilities.
- Irrigation can be a large
drain on water resources.
Drip irrigation systems may
be used to minimise wastage.

Notes
M c L A RE N VA L E:
A CASE STUDY IN WATER MANAGEMENT AND REUSE

McLaren Vale is at the forefront of

efforts to both conserve and reuse
water, having not used sprinkler
or flood irrigation in more than
a quarter-century. Instead, it uses:
- Groundwater aquifers
- Surface catchment dams that collect
and store water from natural run-off
- Treated, reclaimed water piped in
from a wastewater-treatment facility

Notes
 IPM encourages organic growers
to understand:
- Life cycles of vineyard pests
- Pest population levels
- Useful parasites and predators

I N T E G R AT E D
P E ST M A N AG E M E N T ( I P M )
ST R AT EG I E S

Notes
A N I M A L
GRAZING - Keeps weeds and winter
grasses under control,
meaning fewer herbicides
- Lessens the need for tractors
to spray and mow grass,
reducing fuel use
- Can make use of animal
manure as a soil conditioner
and natural fertiliser

Notes
 R ECYC L I N G
AND REUSE
Wineries can minimise landfill
waste by disposing of:
- Glass waste
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Organic solid residuals
- Scrap metal
- E-waste

Notes
CASE
STUDIES
Notes
HOW TEMPLE BRUER WINES WENT

CARBON-NEUTRAL

SWI T CH ED T O INSTALLED
L IGH TW E IGH T SOLAR
WIN E BO T T L ES PANELS

Increased minimum

TEMPLE BRUER
Planted trees and native temperature for

WINES
vegetation in and air conditioning
around the vineyard in winery offices

Discontinued REDUCED
airfreighting REFRIGERATION
REQUIREMENTS
shipments
to overseas
distributors

Notes
KALLESKE’S ORGANIC AND
B I O DY N A M I C P R A C T I C E S
IN THE VINEYA RD

- Controlling weeds mechanically

and naturally nourishing vines
without chemical fertilisers
- Using composts and natural
fertilisers (kelp and rock dust)
in the soil
- Applying BD preps to the
soil and grapevines
- Using natural sprays rather
than fungicides or insecticides

Notes
KALLESKE’S TRADITIONAL,
M I N I M A L I N T E RV E N T I O N
A P P ROAC H IN THE WINERY

ADDS NO
TANNINS,
ENZYMES

WINES
OR FINING

KALLESKE ’S
AGENTS

Relies on natural
yeasts for primary
fermentation and NATURALLY
natural malolactic CLARIFIES ITS WINES
bacteria for malolactic WITH RACKING AND
fermentation NO FILTRATION

Notes
BATTLE OF BOSWORTH’S
ORGANIC
CONVERSION
- Runs its vineyards as it would
have before synthetic fertilisers
and pesticides came along
- Uses soursob (a flower used in the fight
against weeds) for weed management
- Employs modified vineyard machinery
to improve efficiency and reduce
Photo courtesy of Joch Bosworth

environmental impact
- Has undergone extensive revegetation,
removing problematic species and
replanting natives

Notes
 CULLEN WINES' 2003 2006
ENVIRONMENTAL Certified organic
and converted
Voluntarily offset
its carbon footprint

TIMELINE to biodynamic
farming.
by purchasing
carbon credits.

1998
Switched to organic
viticulture, implementing
drains, composting and
cover crops.
2004 2014
First vineyard (Cullen) Installed a 45-kilowatt
received certified solar-energy system,
biodynamic status; which provides for
second (Mangan) a decent proportion
in 2008. of Cullen’s average
consumption.

Notes
 THE RISE OF
A LT E R N AT I V E VA R I E T I E S
I N AUST R A L I A
- Arneis - Nebbiolo
- Barbera - Nero d’Avolo
- Fiano - Sangiovese
- Gamay - Tempranillo
- Grüner Veltliner - Touriga Nacional
- Montepulciano - Vermentino

Notes
 ENSURING AUSTRALIA’S
GENERATIONS-OLD
VINEYARDS, VITICULTURE
AND WINEMAKING
E N D U RE A N D
E XC I T E FO R
YE A RS TO C O M E .

Notes
T H A N K YO U

Notes