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. Two Hands Wines are certified under the Australian Wine Industry Standard of Sustainable Practice.
Sustainability is very important in everything that we do at Two Hands Wines. We are protecting our greatest resources and making sure we lessen our footprint where ever possible within our organisation.
Pierre-Henri Morel
Proprietor
Electricity at Marananga
At our winery, we’ve embraced sustainable energy solutions by installing 122 solar panels on the rooftop. These panels are projected to generate approximately 49,855 kWh of power annually. This initiative marks a significant step towards reducing our carbon footprint, equivalent to offsetting emissions from 16 medium-sized cars
In the Estate Vineyards
Picking & Pruning
Our estate vineyards are pruned, trained and picked by hand to minimise tractor movements and avoid soil compaction. They are cane pruned to reduce the risk of the fungus infection Eutypa Lata, and also assists the vines to survive our Australian warm summers.
Mulching
Each year we use 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).
Soil Management
We sow selected species of perennial Medics or Burclover between the vine rows. These plants take nitrogen out of the air, store it in their roots, and when the plant dies, that nitrogen is available to feed the biology and other plants over the next year. It’s an annual, and natural, slow release fertiliser.
Ferterlising
Our Scottish Highlanders and 100% of the grape must both contribute to the 300 tonnes of organic compost we add back into our vineyards each year. We’ve reduced the amount of chemicals used and house insectariums throughout our Holy Grail Vineyard to enhance the vitality of our vineyard sites
Bee Hives
Although the flowers of our vines are self-pollinating and don’t require bees to produce fruit, we still value and support bee populations because of their vital role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. That’s why we keep our own beehives on-site, looked after by Alex, the team benefit from getting to take home Two Hands honey.
Water Conservation
We have Sap-Flow sensor technology at our Holy Grail Vineyard. 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.
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.
In Production
Packaging
Our commitment to environmental sustainability is demonstrated by our membership of the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC), which aims to reduce the harmful effects of packaging on the Australian environment. It involves designing packaging that uses fewer resources, reduces waste, and is easier to recover and reuse.
Diam Corks
In 2014, we made the decision to move to Diam 30 cork to not only eliminate cork taint and guarentee your Two Hands wines in your cellar, 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.
Freight
We recognise our responsibility to reduce the weight of our packaging for the shipping of air and ocean cargo. We are fortunate to ship our wines to over 50 countries. Therefore, it was an natural choice to select recyclable alternative to timber boxes to protect the wines as they travel to the finest cellars around the world.
Recycling
It might sound simple, but recycling all of our cardboard and glass at the Cellar Door and the warehouse in production it adds up. These everyday materials can be used in larger quantities behind the scenes from packaging and tasting stock. By ensuring they’re properly recycled, we are doing the basics correctly.
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 grape growers 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.
