Organic Winegrowing
Vineyard
We spend a lot of time thinking about the underground web of life that supports all the plants and us on top.
No synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides are used. Instead, we build healthy vines, by building healthy soils, and by nurturing a diverse, rich community of plants, soil, insects and microorganisms.
With the awareness of the potential health risks associated with pesticide residues and synthetic additives in food and beverages, more consumers are turning to organic wine as a safer option.
A four year programme to become organic, organics focuses on building resilience into the soil, which also significantly helps the vines resist the vagaries of the weather.
Full organic certification with annual audits provides a reassurance for customers.
Since the establishment of the original vineyard, today with the expertise of longstanding vineyard manager Darren Chatterton and winemaker Barry Riwai there is a combination of new clones and heritage vines.
The vineyard is located on deep river gravel beds laid down by the Ngaruroro river 10,000 years ago, reminiscent of the alluvial plains found in other great wine regions. With 600 mm of silt loam overlaying these gravel beds the soil type is ideal for quality wine production. A unique ecosystem combining to produce new world fruit driven wines with old world structure.
Alpha Domus wines are produced from grapes grown on 20 hectares of premium viticulture land. Located in the Bridge Pa Triangle, the vineyard lies 20 km inland protecting the vineyard from coastal influences. Known for its long hot summers and being located in a natural rain shadow make it one of the driest parts of Hawke’s Bay, with an annual rainfall of 750 mm. Very free draining and relatively infertile, the small amount of organic matter ensures that there is an ability to retain some soil moisture and nutrients used by the vines in their annual cycle.
Organic farming creates less pollution, protecting the health of our waterways while contributing to biodiversity. Well-managed organic soils can also store significant amounts of carbon, stabilising our climate and keeping our planet habitable for generations to come.
The Winery and Vineyard were part of the Sustainable Winegrowing pilot programmes in the mid 1990’s and early 2000’s, before being implemented nationally.
Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, is an industry wide certification programme lead by NZ Wine Growers to:
Provide ‘best practice’ model of environmental practices in the vineyard and winery.
Guarantee better quality assurance from the vineyard, right through to the bottle.
Assure consumers that the products are made with minimal impact on the natural and social environment.