As a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, Kilikanoon wines employs a wide range of environmentally sustainable practices in our vineyard and winery.

This helps minimise the impact on our land and provide real and tangible benefits for us as grape growers and winemakers.

 

In the Vineyard

Our vineyards are a biodiverse ecosystem where we employ a 365 degree approach to ensure a vibrant and healthy crop. Various techniques are utilised such as;.

Regenerative cover crops between vine rows.

The use of “medic” (a combination of native grasses) is planted as they are both regenerative and also legumes that fix nitrogen into the soil, reducing the need for any synthetic fertilizer.

The medics also leave a good organic cover once finished (seeded and died) during summer, reducing the soil temperature and water loss.

Straw mulch

We have a process of utilizing locally sourced straw for under vine, aiding the vineyard with water retention. This straw is applied underneath the vines, which improves soil biology as well as structure. This also improves water holding capacity, adding carbon and organic matter as it breaks down.

Harvester with destemmer

Using this harvesting technique in the vineyard ensures all of the leaves and stems remain in the vineyard, saving time and energy at the winery where they would historically be removed and disposed of.

Effluent water

We harvest all of our winery catchment area to mix with winery effluent to irrigate the vines reducing water input requirements by over forty percent.

Composting

All winery solids are mixed with composted cow manure and spread back onto the vineyards as an organic fertilizer.

Low Chemical Application

Kilikanoon uses minimal fungicide input, The Clare Valley is historically also a region of very low disease pressure during the growing season due to the dry growing conditions.

Not only do we use organic chemicals, our hi tech sprayer unit captures and recycles overspray, resulting in 50% less spray required.

Nature Corridors

Kilikanoon has worked with its neighbours to implement agreed ‘nature & wildlife strips’ throughout the Clare Valley to allow the passage of native wildlife and maintain the native flora.

In the Winery

We have a solar energy plant that is situated on the roof of our winery. This solar plant generates 99 kw, which caters for approximately 30% of our business's energy requirements.

Rainwater Harvesting

All rainwater from the winery roof area is captured, filtered and utilized within the winery for production.

Waste-Water Recycling

All waste-water from the winery is collected, treated in microbiological correcting dam before being filtered and used in irrigation on the vineyards.

Reduced Packaging Inputs

We have begun using bio-dynamic (compostable) shrink wrap in the warehouse to reduce the plastic dependence with freight.