A great wine is the result of care, attention and letting nature run its course
We live and breathe sustainable practices
Our greatest legacy is our courage to make decisions and act now for the benefit of our future generations, rather than for our immediate gain. It is engrained in our philosophy, our methods and our culture — now, across six generations of our family’s winemaking history, and in our vision for the future.
Generation after generation, we continually strive to reduce our impact on the environment, and make great wine with minimal intervention. We are committed to sustainable practices with the belief that healthier vines create better wines.
Recognition
Climate Protection Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2007 (A first for the world wine industry)International Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice in 2007 and 2011.
In October 2005 Yalumba was awarded the Environmental and Energy Management Award at the 10th annual Rabobank agribusiness awards for excellence.
International Award of Excellence for Sustainable Wine growing in 2013.
Environmental Excellence Award from the South Australian Wine Industry Association in 2019. This award was for our work on projects including the establishment of innovative mid-row saltbush plantings, mulching vineyards to achieve a 25% reduction in water use, and native Mallee scrub.
“Yalumba has been ploughing the green furrow for longer than most Australian wine companies. In the late 1990s, long before Al Gore started working on his slide show and before we began bucketing our shower water onto our tomatoes, the historic Barossa winery embarked on a comprehensive, company-wide environmental program.”
Max Allen, 2008
A community-minded approach
Operating in a rural environment and an industry significantly affected by climate change, taking care of our shared planet is not a responsibility that we take lightly. For 175 years, the earth has abundantly provided our family with precious resources, enabling us to do what we love – make great wine.
We believe that if we are all equipped with the knowledge and resource of best practice, we can have the biggest impact.
We share our knowledge among the industry groups we are committed to and equally benefit from the knowledge of fellow members, including Barossa Australia, Wine Australia, the Australian Wine Research Institute, the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology, and the South Australian Wine Industry Association.
Family and community have been the cornerstone of our business since our beginnings in 1849. We believe in generously supporting local businesses and giving back to the Barossa community through local procurement and employment. We embrace opportunities to maintain the vibrant heritage, the social fabric, and the culture of our hometown of Angaston. We are proud of the multi-generational relationships we have formed with grape growers and local families that continue to work with us.
We give back to organisations that support and enrich the lives of people in our local community with sports, education, culture and the arts through collaboration with local sporting clubs. We repurpose our second-hand computers by donating them to Foundation Barossa for disadvantaged students, and at Christmas time, we collaborate with children’s toy store Kids Unite in Angaston to collect and donate Christmas gifts for Barossa families in need through Lutheran Care. We proudly continue our 20-year partnership with the Art Gallery of South Australia in arts and culture, creating bespoke wines and events for meaningful connections.
Quite simply, if we’re to focus on excellence in winemaking, it absolutely requires excellence in environmental management – the two are inseparable.
A future for all
Our team is continuously looking at ways to increase our renewable energy resource, and reduce our water consumption and carbon emissions. In 2016, we installed the largest solar system in an Australian winery at the time, which today generates approximately 24% of our on-site energy requirement.
We are proud of our native vegetation preservation program, which preserves, establishes or reestablishes native vegetation area equal to our land under vine.
Aligned to the targets of IWCA, in April we became partners of the United Nations Race to Zero program, helping us to connect, share with and learn from likeminded organisations around the globe. Our Emissions Reduction Roadmap specifies the timing and impact of numerous projects to achieve a 50% reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050 compared to our baseline year. As of 2023, our emissions reduction is 22%.
Sustainability and minimal intervention winemaking
Our Sustainability Charter
At Yalumba, we wish to thoughtfully share our love of wine with the world, in such a way that we enrich our terroir, protect the viability of our planet, support a prosperous community, foster a thriving workforce, and act ethically and responsibly.
For more than 170 years, we have prioritised practices that will sustain our planet, our people and our business for our future generations.Every decision is guided by the impact we’re here to make through our generational sustainability — a unique intersection of people, planet and profit.
We care about the wellbeing of our people and community, the environmental footprint we leave, and we pursue excellence so we may all share in success.
