Tiki Wine & Vineyards is an accredited member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ), one of the industry’s most recognised sustainability programmes worldwide. To be SWNZ certified, all members must complete annual submissions and undergo regular on-site audits conducted. The certification focuses on six key areas – soil, water, plant protection, waste, people and more recently climate change.
Sustainability and Regenerative Agriculture
Tiki Wine & Vineyards is an indigenous New Zealand wine producer committed to sustainable winegrowing, regenerative agriculture initiatives and an uncompromising commitment to quality. We care for our vines and the land under the guiding Māori principles of Kaitiakitanga: the guardianship, protection, and preservation of the earth for future generations.
As part of our commitment to sustainability, our vineyard team work hard to refine practices across our vineyard to ensure the fruit we produce is at its absolute best. Each area of focus collectively contributes to sustainable, regenerative, and environmentally conscious viticulture while promoting the long-term health and productivity of our vineyard’s ecosystem. This gives our winemaking team only the best fruit to select from for the wines we produce.
Our land practices include:
Wildflower plantings: Introducing biodiversity through cover crops in our interrow helps increase vine and soil health, keeps weeds and grass minimal, attracts beneficial insects and provides a more homely environment for some pest insects, keeping them out of the vines. These plantings also help reduce soil compaction and increase water retention and conservation. By planting and crimping multiple species like linseed, phacelia, crimson clover, and flat grasses, there is little space for unwanted, competitive vegetation and as they are crimped organic matter is added to the soil.
Root crop plantings: Also in the mix are turnips, radishes, and root crops which develop deeper root systems and unlock beneficial nutrients in the soil. These large, deep roots also help combat compaction of the soil.
Water retention / management: the vineyard team have been using a pressure bomb this year to measure the amount of water in the vine (rather than in the soil), this helps the team calibrate the irrigation soil moisture monitors with the aim to target and reduce our water inputs.
Grazing sheep: roaming the vineyard over the cooler months, sheep keep the grass down (reducing the amount of mechanical mowing) and contribute to soil and vine health.
Compost: our vineyard team is producing compost onsite using hay produced on site and grape marc waste from the wine making process. A wonderful brew of Effective Micro-organisms ais added to this compost to increase the vineyard biological diversity, improve soil structure and improve fertility. This compost is mixed with a locally sourced compost and spread directly under the vines.
Urban compost: under the vines Tiki lays a mix of compost with a portion sourced from our local city. The compost is produced using household food waste and urban garden waste. Using compost reduces the need for fertilizer and helps retain moisture, crucial for the hot days we enjoy of the North Canterbury climate.
Drone: used as visual and acoustic and chase deterrents to protect fruit on the vines from birds. A further strategy to reduce fuel use and soil compaction.
Decrease in fuel consumption: fuel consumption is the key area the team have in focus for reducing our carbon footprint. The wildflower and root crop plantings, wider compost distribution and bringing sheep onto the vineyard mean there is increased biodiversity and less mowing passes. There has been significant further investment in multi-tooling our machinery and in utilizing the most fuel efficiency tractors on the market.
How we work the land here at Tiki is hugely important to us. Through applying the principles of Kaitiakitanga, we take only what we need from the land. This is key to us continuing to make the awarding winning wines that Tiki Wine & Vineyards has become synonymous with.
