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SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is at the core of Two Hands Wines.
Every decision is made for the long term benefit of the stakeholders and the regions from which our wines are made.

At Two Hands, sustainability encompasses many aspects but first and foremost it means protecting and enhancing the natural resource in our vineyards.

We are proud to be custodians of the best viticultural land within the Western Ranges of the Barossa Valley and work tirelessly to grow the best fruit year in and year out, working with the seasons to produce incredible fruit.

Sustainability is very important in everything that we do at Two Hands Wines. It’s a fine line between being a commercial enterprise and a long term sustainable business and I believe we navigate this fine line very well. At Two Hands we are protecting our greatest resources and making sure we can lessen our footprint where ever possible within our complex organisation.
MICHAEL TWELFTREE

SUSTAINABLE VITICULTURE

  • Two Hands Wines are certified under the Australian Wine Industry Standard of Sustainable Practice.
  • We employ ‘Massale Selection’ with new planting material: the old art of sourcing vine material from the best vines within the best vineyards, rather than sourcing clones from nurseries.
  • Each of our estate vineyards are cane pruned to reduce the risk of the fungus infection Eutypa Lata, and also assists the vines to survive our warm summers.
  • Our estate vineyards are pruned, trained and picked by hand to minimise tractor movements and avoid soil compaction.
  • In winter, cover crops are grown between the rows to promote soil vitality.
  • Each year we use 540 bails of straw mulch under our vines to keep the soil temperature and surface roots cool as well as retain valuable moisture in the soil. The mulch also promotes earthworm and soil microbe activity in our soil and also sees a reduction in weed growth (which in turn, lowers herbicide use).
  • Our Scottish Highland cattle and 100% of the grape must post vintage both contribute to the 300 tonnes of organic compost we add back into our vineyards each year, in order to support the natural balance within our vines.
  • We encourage biodiversity within our estate vineyards: We’ve reduced the amount of chemicals used and house insectariums throughout our Holy Grail Vineyard to enhance the vitality of our vineyard sites.

Water Conservation

We have introduced Sap-Flow sensor technology into our Holy Grail Vineyard. The technology measures and monitors the transpiration of the vine and in turn assist our viticulture team to manage irrigation regimes ensuring the vines receive the right amount of water at the optimal time.

This will reduce our water usage by up to 50%.

Fruition Sciences say the benefits of the technology are numerous. It determines the perfect time to irrigate and defines the correct amount of water required for the site and quality parameters; it monitors vine health and stress levels; it improves the quality of the wine and vineyard performance; allows for a better understanding of the behaviour and response to climate change of different grape varieties; and perhaps most importantly, save water.

In addition to the recycling of waste water used at the winery, all of the storm water and associated run off from the winery buildings is also harvested.

Sustainable Packaging

Our commitment to environmental sustainability is demonstrated by our membership of the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC), the aim of which is to reduce the harmful effects of packaging on the Australian environment.

In accordance to the APC, our aim is minimise waste to landfill. All of our wine bottles are made from predominately recycled materials, our cardboard packaging is made of 95% recycled materials. Most importantly all are reusable or easily recycled by customers who enjoy our wines.

In 2014, we made the decision to move to Diam 30 cork to not only eliminate cork taint, but Diam also has the benefit of being a company committed to greatly reducing their carbon footprint in the production of their sustainable, renewable and bio-degradable closures.

Sustainable Power

At our winery, we’ve embraced sustainable energy solutions by installing 122 high-quality solar panels on the winery rooftop.

These panels are projected to generate approximately 49,855 kWh of power annually. Harnessing sunlight, a perpetual renewable resource, ensures we’ll never exhaust our energy supply! This initiative marks a significant step towards reducing our carbon footprint, equivalent to offsetting emissions from 16 medium-sized cars.

By integrating solar technology into our operations, we’re committed to both environmental stewardship and producing exceptional wines with minimal ecological impact.

Sustainable Wine Tourism

Bio-Security in our vineyards is paramount to us at Two Hands, to prevent the spread of serious soil diseases, most notably phylloxera.

All guests who join our Vineyard Experiences, are provided with boots and encouraged to wash shoes in chlorine baths to ensure that the spread of disease is mitigated.

Unbeknownst to our guests, shoes can spread pests and diseases that could wreak havoc on the health and success of our vineyards in Barossa.

Sustainable Future

In our enduring commitment to the environment and sustainable wine growing, in 2019 we signed The Porto Protocol. This is global alliance of wine companies whose aim is share solutions, stimulate new ideas and inspire action within the wine fraternity as a collective, rather than relying on our individual contribution.

We are certified members of Winery & Vineyard Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, which is Australia’s national program for grapegrowers and winemakers to demonstrate and continuously improve their sustainability in the vineyard and winery through the environmental, social and economic aspects of their businesses. The program takes a holistic approach to managing, supporting and promoting sustainability. It fosters stronger relationships between growers, wineries and their regions. It also provides authority and confidence to customers, who receive reliable certified produce to address growing global consumer demand.

At Two Hands Wines, we believe that producing exceptional wines goes hand in hand with protecting our environment and supporting the communities in which we operate. This accreditation validates our unwavering commitment to sustainability and sets the foundation for a brighter, greener future for the Australian wine industry.

Our journey towards more sustainable practices is an ongoing one, and we are committed to exploring innovative ways to enhance our eco-friendly practices. We are immensely grateful to our team, partners, and customers for supporting us on this path, and we look forward to raising the bar even higher in the years to come.