A NEW scheme to recognise the environmental credentials of wineries and winegrape growers, to be known as EntWine, will be launched next month.
The scheme was developed by the Winemakers' Federation of Australia, whose natural resources manager, Jonathon Green, described it as a voluntary national environmental assurance scheme that provided formal certification according to recognised standards for environmental stewardship.
Mr Green said EntWine was based on the horticulture industry's Freshcare environmental code of practice, launched in 2006.
EntWine requires wineries and growers to be certified against a recognised, independently audited environmental certification program, be audited at least every three years and to annually report their carbon footprint, which can be calculated online, along with a list of indicators.
Winery indicators include: tonnes of grapes crushed, total water used, total wastewater and liquid waste generated and percentage of solid waste recycled.
Indicators for vineyards include: tonnes of grapes produced, area under vine, electricity used, total water used, total nitrogen applied and unleaded petrol, LPG and diesel used.
Mr Green said the scheme had been developed following demand from industry, retailers and consumers.
"People are keen to have their environmental practices recognised," he said.
"There are generally pretty high standards of environmental care in the industry and people want a medium for letting people know about that."
Mr Green said UK supermarket chain Tesco, which buys significant volumes of Australian wine, was looking at sustainability indicators on all its product labels as part of its 500 million pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the next five years.
"So we need, at an international level, to be able to prove that we are doing good environmental management here," he said.
Mr Green said several major wineries, including Foster's, Orlando and De Bortoli, who had been involved in a pilot project, were keen to embrace the scheme.
Mr Green said EntWine accreditation would also benefit smaller winemakers with cellar doors, allowing them to display a sign at the front gate and inform visitors "about vineyard and winery practices that are supporting environmental sustainability".
Members will be listed on the new EntWine Australia website, where consumers and retailers will be able to search for wine companies that meet their environmental expectations.
They will also be able to use the EntWine logo on their labels and in advertising.
Annual membership fees are $110 for growers and WFA member wine companies, or $440 for non-member wine companies.
Members will have to cover the cost of certification and audits.
