About
Wairau River Wines takes its name from the beautiful braided river on whose banks Phil and Chris Rose planted their first vines in 1978. (Wairau is Maori for ‘many waters’).
The Rose family were pioneers in the now prestigious Rapaura district, their foresight recognising the potential for the region’s free draining stony soil and abundantly pure artesian water. After supplying grapes for other producers for several years, Phil and Chris decided in 1991 to release a wine under their own label and so the Wairau River label was born.
With five estate vineyards totaling 500 acres (200 hectares), Wairau River Wines can maintain total commitment to quality by carefully managing these sites to keep yields low. Family owned and run, Wairau River is one of the largest independent wine estates in Marlborough, and the range of elegant wines is characteristically expressive of its Marlborough roots.
In June 2008 Wairau River Wines Limited was issued with carboNZero certification by Landcare Research, making it one of only three New Zealand wineries to be accredited and indeed one of a handful of carbon neutral wineries in the world.
Respect for the environment is imperative in decisions we make concerning our winery and vineyards. Small things such as constructing the winery in a neutral colour so that it blends in with its surroundings to larger things like putting in the first Lyve winery wastewater treatment system in Marlborough are all important to our family company to lessen our impact on the surroundings and ensure that we are
here for the future generations to continue to create world class wines.
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Strategy
Targets for Emissions Reduction – all measured against Base Year
Diesel – Reduce intensity through additional production, as 150 acres has been developed from bare land and therefore yields have yet to reach full production
Electricity – Reduce winery emission intensity as production is growing rapidly
Helicopters – Reduce total emissions by elimination
Packaging glass - Reduce emission intensity through lighter glass as production is growing rapidly
Packaging carton - Reduce emission intensity through smaller & lighter boxes as production is growing rapidly
Specific actions taken in the year to June 2008 to reduce emissions organisation
Winery electricity
Reduce winery electricity emissions intensity
Install a new 300kw high quality Daikin chiller using Freon refrigerant
The new unit would be operated in parallel with the existing machine during peak periods
Outside of peak periods the new smaller unit would have sufficient capacity
All tanks have separate jackets for heating and cooling
Warm water storage tank which is heated using waste heat from both the chiller units
Tanks are monitored electronically to control heating and cooling using the Vinwizard system
Completion Date: March 2008
Winery building extension
No tanks outside
All tanks are kept under cover using insulated panel keeping an ambient temperature inside the winery of about 14 degrees
Where a large sliding door is in operation a ‘normal’ smaller door is located either close by or built in so that it eliminates the need to open and close the large door to access the winery
Completion Date: March 2008
Helicopters
Eliminate the need for helicopters as frost protection
12 wind machines were added to the Giffords Road vineyard so that 15 wind machines now cover the 90 hectare block.
They are set so that they automatically turn on at 0.5 degrees and turn off at 2 degrees.
Completion Date: September 2007
Nitrogen generator
Generate our own Nitrogen on-site
Install our own Nitrogen generator
Eliminates Air Liquide coming from Blenheim to replace/replenish the 16 module unit we previously used
Completion Date: August 2007
Solar water
Hot water is used for cleaning and sterilization of bottling line.
Early investigations underway as to costs suitability
Application to be filed with EECA
Proposal date: January 2008, Completion date: December 2008
Specific actions taken in the year to June 2008 to reduce emissions packaging
Packaging glass
Using a lighter weight bottle for future bottling
Change majority of bottling from OI mould 3662 to OI mould 5402
Reduction 70 gm per bottle
Reduced width 2mm per bottle
Samples sent to overseas supplier to gain their commitment and agreement
Completion date: First bottling of 2008 wines in July 2008
Packaging carton
Use Smaller & Lighter Cartons
By default a lighter bottle has less width so that the carton will be lighter by virtue of its size
We have also requested different board grade samples to see if we can use a lighter board grade
Completion date: First bottling of 2008 wines in July 2008
Plastic recycling
Recycle plastic that surrounds glass bottle packaging
A Miltek Baler was commissioned which creates approx 80kg bales of plastic
Based on very similar bottling case numbers we have had 10 less skip empties on a 4.5m skip this year
We have collected up over 30 bales to send back for recycling
Completion date: March 2007
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