Sustainable Winegrowing NZ

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) is an industry-wide certification programme led by New Zealand Winegrowers.

In the mid-1990’s, after considerable testing, the industry launched a holistic vineyard programme, which has since become known as Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.

The Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) programme is based on continuous improvement and adherence to recommendations and guidelines issued by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).

SWNZ was developed 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
- Address consumer concerns regarding products, while respecting the environment

SWNZ ensures members meet international standards for sustainability practices while helping the environment, businesses and local communities to thrive. The programme was introduced commercially in 1997 and adopted by grape growers across the country’s winegrowing regions.

Sustainable winery certification standards were established in 2002 and adopted by New Zealand wineries, closing the circle on the industry’s sustainability commitment. In 2016, 98% of New Zealand’s vineyard producing area was Sustainable Winegrowing NZ certified, with another 7% operating under recognised certified organic programmes. 

To register your vineyard or winery with the SWNZ programme, please complete an application form below:

Please note that if you are applying to the SWNZ programme for a NEW WINERY and have NOT been assigned a New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) ID number, you must also submit a NZW winery application form below:

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand was developed in order to:

• Provide a 'best practice' model of environmental guidelines for the vineyard and winery.
• Guarantee better quality control from the vineyard through to the bottle.
• Assure consumers that products are made with minimal impact on the natural and social environment.

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand provides members with:

• A framework of efficient and economical viticultural and winemaking practices that encourage environmental stewardship.
• A continuous improvement pathway, enabling organisations to constantly improve and fine tune their methods.
• A knowledge transfer platform for keeping up-to-date with new technology, approaches, and application techniques.
• An external audit structure based on adherence to recommendations and guidelines issued by the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), with integrity and rigour to exceed market expectations.
• The opportunity to play a part in preserving New Zealand’s unique environment while operating under an independently audited and well-respected sustainability framework.

If you have any questions about joining Sustainable Winegrowing NZ please contact:
Justine Tate, Business Manager for Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand
Justine.tate@swnz.org.nz
027 700 7945