The Islander Estate Vineyards is proud to become the first Kangaroo Island wine business certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, the national independent program for grape growers and winemakers committed to making sustainable wine.

The certification covers our four Kangaroo Island vineyards and winery operations. But more than anything, it confirms the principles that have guided our viticulture and winemaking for the past 15 years.

A region and estate chosen for sustainability

As a region, Kangaroo Island’s water boundary acts as a natural biosecurity barrier, protecting the island from many of the pests and diseases common on the mainland. The island’s GMO-free status adds another layer of reassurance.

When we searched Kangaroo Island for the right property in the late 1990s, we were looking for land ideally suited to viticulture and with the natural assets to grow with minimal intervention.

The Islander Estate Vineyards’ 280-hectare Kohinoor Hills property has just a small percentage planted to vine. It is surrounded by a protected conservation park and farmland, providing the conditions for growing without outside influence.  The estate’s north-facing aspect, ideal elevation, and established dams help reduce disease pressure. Varietals were carefully selected to suit the Island’s unique maritime climate.

For the last 15 years, our vineyards have been free of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and GMOs.

So, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification doesn’t represent a significant change in how we operate. It represents independent verification for our customers, and it commits us to continuously improving against one of the Australian wine industry’s most significant sustainability standards.

Why Sustainable Winegrowing Australia

We were attracted to SWA because its definition of sustainability goes beyond environmental management. The program takes a holistic view across six practical pillars:

• Land and soil — enhancing soil health and long-term fertility.
• Water — improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
• People and business — building stronger relationships with our supply chain and community.
• Biodiversity — conserving and enhancing the ecosystem across the land we manage.
• Energy — reducing our contribution to climate change.
• Waste — working toward the Australian wine industry’s net-zero waste target by 2050.

As Co-owner Yale Norris explains: “We were attracted to SWA because while environmental management is a key pillar, it encompasses social and economic performance alongside environmental stewardship. The program is about continuous improvement.  It required us to not only document our existing standards, but also to formally commit to a vision for where we want to be and how we will get there.”

Certification also isn’t a one-time event. SWA requires regular audits and ongoing measurement against improvement targets. Accountability is built into the framework.

What this means for our customers

If you’ve been drinking Islander Estate wines for years, this certification is our formal promise that the principles behind those wines are held to an independent standard. And that we’re committed to improving against that standard every year.

If you’re discovering us for the first time, it’s a reasonable place to start exploring sustainable Kangaroo Island wine.

Either way, the certification is reassurance that we look after the land under our care and will continue to do so, even better, into the future.

Learn more about Sustainable Winegrowing Australia at sustainablewinegrowing.com.au, or explore our wines at iev.com.au.