Henschke Sustainability Actions

Quality

C A Henschke & Co is one of Australia’s leading winemakers and grape growers. The company specialises in the production of premium quality table wines, which are exported world-wide. The Henschke family has been winemakers at Keyneton for five generations with a proud heritage, philosophy and tradition. C A Henschke & Co is committed to achieving excellence in production and customer expectations through the following; • The C A Henschke & Co overall goal is to be the best, not the biggest wine producer in Australia by continuously improving on our production of exceptional wines from outstanding vineyards, while reducing our impact on the environment and regenerating our surrounding natural landscapes. • Continuous improvement of the C A Henschke & Co Quality Management System in accordance with the principals of AS/NZS ISO 9001 :2008 “Quality Management systems – Requirements” and the integrated HACCP Plan. • Complying with relevant Legislation, Codes and Standards. • Managing and monitoring our vineyards and working with our selected growers to obtain the best quality of grapes for our wines. • By utilising our Quality Management System, we shall select suppliers and processes, where possible, which minimise the impact of our activities on the environment. • Ensuring our wines exceed the expectations and requirements of our customers in both Australia and export markets. • Ensuring that its employees are committed to the management of quality, environmental impacts and customer satisfaction. • Ensuring that this policy is understood, implemented and maintained at all levels within the organisation.

Evidence Evidence

Packaging

In line with our beliefs of maintaining an environmentally sustainable business, over the years we have introduced several initiatives that help us achieve these aims. Being signatories of the Australian Packaging Covenant and aligning with our beliefs to protect the environment and therefore the sustainability of our business, our aim is to reduce our impact on the planet’s resources with our policy for purchasing packaging. Where possible, our packaging is to be manufactured with recycled materials, or just as importantly, packaging is to be either re-usable or recyclable. We also encourage all of our customers to recycle the packaging in which our wines are delivered

Evidence Evidence

Environment

To prevent pollution of our natural environment and build up soil health and biodiversity. We wish to restore 30% of our total landholdings to the original plant associations spread across the 5 different sub-catchments: – riparian zones (within all five sub catchments) – native grasslands (1 in Upper Saunders Creek) – sheoak woodlands (2 in North Rhine & Upper Saunders Creeks ) – peppermint box grassy woodlands (2 in North Rhine and Parrot Hill Creeks) – red gum grassy woodlands (1 in North Para River) – blue gum sclerophyll forest (2 in North Rhine and Parrot Hill Creeks) – stringybark sclerophyll forest(1 in Cock Creek, Onkaparinga). Our Goals: • To have a truly sustainable business – one that can prosper indefinitely • Move beyond compliance to the development of a leading edge organisation striving for excellence in everything we do • In the short term minimise and in the long term eliminate negative impacts that our day to day operations have on the environment • Have a commercial advantage

Evidence Evidence

Canopy Management

In the late 1970s Dr Richard Smart was developing theories about the role of the canopy on the colour and quality of red grapes. Those theories, Prue believed, could well be applied to the Henschke vineyards. While they were already producing high quality red wines, she believed they could do better. Initially they looked at establishing better trellis systems, which in turn led to experimenting with a cooler climate and the subsequent purchase of the property at Lenswood. There, Prue believed, less stressful photosynthesis during summer would allow flavour compounds to develop. This turned out to be right, and Henschke started winning awards and media recognition immediately.

Evidence Evidence

Soil Management

A number of key issues must be considered in relation to soil management, such as soil structure, moisture holding capacity, and nutrient availability. There is also a need to consider such things as how to maintain good soil porosity, the bacterial activity in the soil that leads to fertility, and the effects of pH. The water holding capacity of a soil is important in dry-grown vineyards and is improved by increased organic matter and mulching. Thirty-six percent of Henschke vineyards are dry grown and the soil management techniques now used lead to the production of very high quality fruit. Many different techniques of soil management exist. Henschke has moved completely away from mechanical disturbance and now uses permanent sward. Mulching with wheat straw to avoid herbicide treatment under the vine is used in most of the vineyards, and allows more organic matter to be incorporated into the soil and preserves soil moisture. Earthworms also open up the soil and introduce nutrients and soil ameliorants such as lime. Mulching helps to maintain the fertility of the soil without the addition of nitrogen fertilisers, which often favour the development of disease, especially botrytis. A good balance of nutrients in the top 60 to 70 centimetres of soil is important for the production of premium grapes. The vineyards are currently run incorporating organic and biodynamic practices, including biodynamic compost being produced from all the winery by-products, such as grape marc, stalks and waste water, cow pit peat and 500 and 501 preparations.

Evidence Evidence