Yealands Estate has won a number of awards this year. Photo: Jim Tannock
With visionary Peter Yealands at the helm, the 1000-hectare Yealands Estate winery lives and breathes its motto: "Think boldly, tread lightly, and never say it can't be done."
The company reuses some 50,000 tonnes of grape stems, skins and stalks as compost, adding in other businesses' organic leftovers to save
it from being landfilled, and in the process reducing the need for chemical-based fertilisers, stifling weed growth and retaining soil moisture.
They've also put in 25 man-made, extensively planted wetlands which capture run-off, stem erosion, and draws flocks of birds to the property - including royal spoonbills, black swans and teal ducks.
The winery ultimately aims to be self-powered, and with one of New Zealand's largest solar arrays, three wind turbines and biofuel made from vine prunings, they are well on their way.
Leading the way in sustainability and innovation, it's easy to see why Yealands Estate has earned a gleaming, green reputation, but what is pleasantly surprising is that the vineyard also turns out superb, internationally-awarded wines. Year after year the awards stack up, and 2014 is no exception. In July, Yealands claimed the Most Socially or Environmentally Friendly Company in the Independent Business Awards programme, International Best in Biz (USA), and just last month they were named overall World Champion at Britain's International Green Apple Environment Awards, ahead of over 500 nominees. All this in addition to being crowned the Overall Large Business winner in the Fairfax Sustainable 60 Awards, and taking home two awards at the NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards.
