Angullong Wines' Ben Crossing says sustainable stamp is a 'huge positive' for wine industry

General manager and owner of one of the largest vineyards in the Orange wine region, Ben Crossing is chuffed that Angullong Wines recently nabbed its official certification of sustainability.

And it's "just the beginning".

"It more or less gives people a snapshot of what's going on and really formalises what we've already been doing," he told the Central Western Daily.

"I would say that most winemakers in this region are already using sustainable practices and if they're not, they'd be headed in that direction."

To have wines officially certified means that where it's being produced is coming from a place that's actively considering the environment.

Both in the here and now and into the future.

These winemakers are prioritising energy and water conservation, along with ecosystem preservation and creating a local wildlife-friendly environment.

A shift in the right direction, Mr Crossing predicts the industry's future will eventually require most vineyards and wineries to have sustainable wine certifications.

"These credentials are really important and particularly because we'll start seeing more and more big retailers demanding [this certification] of suppliers across the wine industry," he said.

"Certainly some of the markets, like European and particularly Scandinavian markets that are monopolies run by their governments, where they're asking for people to supply sustainable products."

He said the certification process has also carried a host of benefits for business operations and new ideas.

Factors such as "identifying any risk areas" and gaining reassurance in current processes have also given owners and employees a boost in staying on top of the game.

"It shows you those areas for improvement and that's been a really good exercise for us, to actually get to sit down and go 'okay, we're doing that here and we're improving on this there'," he said.

"And that also keeps us focussed on current and future projects that we're going to do, so you've got these two internal and external parts where you're looking after everything at once; from the land, assets, the environment, and people who work in your business.

"You're also able to prove to your customers through that trust mark [of certification] that you're doing these things and bettering your practice from all angles."

The SWA report also highlighted how members are leading the industry to achieve its 2050 net zero carbon emissions and waste targets.

For water conservation, it said that 91 per cent of the country's vineyards and 84 per cent of wineries have taken the right steps when it comes to planning, monitoring and reducing water use.

Along with drought future-proofing it also showed that 74 per cent of vineyards and 66 per cent of wineries were taking biodiversity-related actions - working toward preservation of natural resources and "protecting valuable Australian ecosystems".

For land and soil it reported 65 per cent of vineyard members correcting documenting nutrient soil management processes, while an exact half checked out for "best practice management" to support grapevine productivity - all while storing more carbon.

"And biodiversity is a big part of what we want to regenerate from things like under-vine weed management as well as [managing] soil mites," Mr Crossing said.

"So it's very much about the land there and water, where you're looking at projects that are using different irrigation techniques or having subsurface drippers, as opposed to above-ground drippers.

"There are big processes of re-engineering involved across the board, where you're constantly thinking how to better manage business at every turn; while preserving those crucial environmental factors at the same time."

Better waste management for chemical drums and product packaging, for example, Mr Crossing said also calls for wineries and vineyards to have adequate recycling programs (such as drumMUSTER) in place.

He also said that the "biosecurity side of things" is important for those working in the industry - which supports the tracking and tracing of people who are moving around the area and regions - in order to minimise the spread of pest and disease.

"So we're really pleased and excited about the program and I think the more people that get on board with it, the more awareness there will be," Mr Crossing said.

"It's great for consumers as well as being a huge positive for our industry."

To reduce the overall carbon footprint from grape-growing, winemaking and transport processes, the SWA said that sustainable production practices "are key to the future of the Australian wine industry".

The aim is to work hard in an attempt to protect the planet and the country's vines, while also remaining competitive amid both international and domestic markets.

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