Nursery Celebrates First To Be Accredited

MEDIA RELEASE - 1 APRIL 2008
 

Nursery Celebrates First To Be Accredited

Corbans Viticulture is celebrating its achievement of becoming the first New Zealand grape propagation nursery to be accredited as sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowers New Zealand (SWNZ).

Producing high quality grafted grapevines through sustainable practices is a core element of Corbans Viticulture.  In 2007 the company was one of the first grape propagation nurseries to adopt the Grafted Grapevine Standard (GGS).

Dennis Lunken, CEO for Corbans Viticulture comments, “Our company has always been at the forefront of technological innovation in nursery practices through an extensive Research and Development programme, so it was logical that we should become the first viticulture nursery to embrace sustainable nursery practices and become part of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand’s CarboNZero programme.”

Being environmentally conscious is nothing new in New Zealand – particularly in grape growing and winemaking, but what was once labeled a trend will eventually turn into an industry standard.

Lunken says, “To maintain New Zealand wine industry’s profile as a premium wine producer all sectors of the wine industry must be committed to “best practice”. This commitment should not only be from technological standpoint but also include the best possible environmental practices from the nursery to the winery to underpin the country’s “clean green” image

Lunken is upbeat about the future image of the New Zealand wine industry “Corbans continues to produce millions of grafted vines that are of the highest possible health, tested free of virus, produced under a sustainable regime and this can only continue to enhance the reputation of the New Zealand wine industry as producers of premium quality wines with environmental integrity”.

ENDS
Prepared by Corbans Viticulture.  For further information, images or interview, please contact Pippa Lekner at the pr shop on (09) 368 1078, 021 500 760 or email pippa@theprshop.co.nz
 
To contact Dennis Lunken, CEO of Corbans Viticulture direct, please email dennis@corbansviticulture.co.nz or call (09) 416 8635
 
Notes to Editor
SWNZ is an industry initiative directed by New Zealand Winegrowers, to provide a framework for best viticulture and winemaking practices that protect the environment.

Sustainable Winegrowers New Zealand (SWNZ) programme began in 1995, with 510 vineyards and 64 wineries currently accredited. A further 66 vineyards and seven wineries have joined the programme and will be audited in 2008.
 
The SWNZ programme key focus is on vineyard and nursery management practices including the use of regular and timely monitoring of pests and diseases, soil and foliar testing to determine agrichemical usage, the recycling of green waste and water, the control of diseases in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of agrichemical resistance and to increase the biodiversity in the soil, plant and animal life in the vineyard.

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