All six of Handpicked Wines’ vineyards across Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia have officially been certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia.
In Victoria, Handpicked’s Capella Vineyard and Capella Winery on the Mornington Peninsula have also achieved Organic Certification from the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA), making Capella the first and only site in the state to achieve both certifications.
In Tasmania, Handpicked’s Tamar Valley operations, including Native Point Vineyard and Auburn Road Vineyard, have also become the first Tasmanian vineyards to have achieved both Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and NASAA certifications.
Peter Dillon, Chief Winemaker at Handpicked Wines, said the certification process is rigorous and shows Handpicked Wines is well on its way to becoming a sustainable business.
“Sustainable Winegrowing Australia is a program to support continuous improvement, and receiving this certification only marks the start of our journey.
“Achieving this status shows we’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk in becoming a sustainable business,” he said.
Rohan Smith, Winemaker at Handpicked Wines on the Mornington Peninsula, said collaboration with other wineries is essential to the journey to sustainability across the region.
“We’re excited to be setting the pace for sustainability in the Mornington Peninsula with these important certifications. We also know that we play a significant role in collaborating with other wineries to work more sustainably as a region.
“There’s also some incredible synergies across our various sites as we continue to test and learn from new sustainability developments. At Capella Vineyard, our vines are teeming with life following our extensive work with inter-row crop covers like snow peas, radish or crimson clover for weed control, which reduces the need for herbicides,” he said.
Smith said organic and sustainable farming practices across all sites are paying off, with the quality of wine produced by Handpicked Wines improving over time.
A certified member of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) since 2021, in 2023, the APCO ‘Advanced’ performance report noted that Handpicked Wines has taken “tangible action on its packaging journey.”
“Consumers are increasingly focussed on sustainability in terms of their buying choices. As a producer, we focus on custodianship and doing everything possible to reduce our environmental footprint for the long term.
“There’s plenty more we can do in the future, but we’re incredibly proud of our team’s work and its impact on the industry,” said Dillon.
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