It’s #sauvblancday and what better way to celebrate than with a glass of Yealands Sauvignon Blanc. Here, you'll find some of the ways we craft our wines with sustainability at our heart, and how that makes a difference in your glass.
As one of the most sustainable wineries in the world, Yealands spectacular coastal vineyard features many forward-thinking initiatives including our solar-powered winery and wind turbines, alongside wildflowers planted between the vines and even a butterfly haven.
The taste
We are all hopefully making much more conscious choices, and this can include the wine we are drinking. Yealands aim to be a leader in sustainable winemaking, and through our philosophy of ‘Think Boldly, Tread Lightly’ we have always tried to ensure that by promoting biodiversity, our vines thrive in a natural environment that produces wine that is bursting with flavour you can taste in every glass.
Our home
Our breath-taking coastal vineyard is located in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley in New Zealand. Supporting and nurturing our biodiversity is key, and we ensure this is achieved through initiatives including the growing of wildflowers between vine rows, which increases soil carbon and improves soil structure.
We have also established a dedicated “Butterfly Gully” which is a haven for the Monarch butterfly, bees, and other insects, which are thriving due to Yealands planting of swan plants and native trees - the presence of butterflies indicates a healthy ecosystem.
Visitors to Yealands can take a tour along the White Road, which winds through the vineyard, discovering more about the sustainable stories behind our award-winning wines.
The winery
Yealands talented Chief Winemaker Natalie Christensen and her team work sustainably throughout the winemaking process and 25% of the annual energy requirements of the winery are self-generated. This is achieved through solar and wind power, and through making biofuel from vine prunings.
In addition, a purpose-built composting facility transforms winemaking by-products into organic-rich material that is returned to the vineyard to further improve the soil.
The wine
Carefully selected parcels of Sauvignon Blanc from our Awatere and Wairau Valley vineyards are used to craft Yealands Sauvignon Blanc. Individual parcels of fruit are gently pressed and clarified. The clear juice is then fermented separately using a range of selected yeasts. A long, cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks retains the vibrant, fresh Sauvignon Blanc characters. After fermentation, the wine is blended, stabilised, and filtered in preparation for bottling.
Yealands Sauvignon Blanc shows highly concentrated fruit flavours, with underlying purity and minerality. It is also vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.
Bouquet: Lifted tropical and citrus notes, with aromas of freshly cut herbs and blackcurrant leaf.
Palate: Layered with green tropical fruits and balanced with a refreshing crisp mineral finish.
Food Match: Seafood, grilled chicken, salads and pastas.
The company
Yealands is 100% community owned and supports local education, youth development and sustainable projects. Yealands is the first winery in the world to have been certified “Toitū carbonzero” from day one by Toitū Envirocare as well as being the first wine producer in the world to receive the GC-Mark for being a Certified Green Company. The GC-Mark is awarded to companies that succeed in minimizing their negative impact upon the environment.
Yealands has achieved a 35% reduction in emissions since 2013 and now has targets of a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and Carbon Positive status by 2050. Yealands is also part of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand and International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), which includes famed wineries from across the globe that are committed to reducing carbon emissions within the wine industry.
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