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Carbon Neutrality - Keith Tulloch Wine
“Viticulture and winemaking are inherently linked to the land and the climate, so we have a deep connection to the natural world that we live and work in. Climate change is affecting us now – by drinking wine that is carbon neutral people can take climate action while still enjoying the finer things in life, guilt free.”
Keith Tulloch Wine, Keith Tulloch Wine Vineyards, Vineyards, Hunter Valley Vineyards, Carbon Neutral, Sustainable, Hunter Valley Wines, Keith Tulloch Wine Hunter Valley, Wine, Winery, Hunter Valley Winery, Philosophy, Keith Tulloch Wine Philosophy
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Carbon Neutrality

Keith Tulloch Wine is the first certified Carbon Neutral winery in the Hunter Valley.

The winery and wines are certified under the Australian Government’s ‘Climate Active’ program.

This means that our business and our wines create zero net emissions from grape to glass. We have achieved this through a range of sustainability initiatives, including:

Constructing a 65kw solar array, providing a vast majority of our power

Changing our waste mix to maximise paper, cardboard, aluminium and plastic recycling

Eliminating single-use plastics by changing to biodegradable or recyclable alternatives

Changing all lighting to LED, reducing electricity use

Installing efficient plumbed CO2 lines for wine storage, minimising CO2 waste

Purchase of an electric forklift to be charged with solar power, reducing LPG use

New winery and irrigation processes and fittings to make water use more efficient

Using only organic fertiliser in the vineyard, recycling chicken manure and avoiding chemical fertilisers

Growing Winter cover crops in the vineyard midrows that fix nitrogen and carbon in the soil

Tracking & reporting sustainability metrics through the Australian Wine Research Institute’s ENTWINE

Emissions that we cannot reduce, we offset by purchasing carbon offsets. Currently our carbon offsets include reforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and solar power projects in developing countries.

We are constantly engaged in programs and plans to further reduce our emissions where possible – we are very keen to adopt and trial new technologies and processes here at the estate.

Biodiversity

We have a program of replanting native vegetation at our vineyard to rehabilitate local biodiversity. We are concerned by biodiversity loss in Australia and are currently running a trial with the NSW DPI which aims to increase the population of beneficial insects on the farm, with the aim of eliminating pesticide use.

In 2019 we have planted over 500 trees on the property both in garden beds and in the riparian areas bordering our creeks.

The species we have planted to date include:

  • Narrow-leaved Ironbark, Eucalyptus crebra 
  • Spotted Gum – Corymbia maculata 
  • Broad-leaved White Mahogany – Eucalyptus umbra 
  • Box-leaf Wattle – Acacia buxifolia
  • Wirewood – Acacia coriacea
  • Brown Bloodwood – Corymbia trachyfloa
  • Blueberry Ash – Elaeocarpus reticulatus
  • Wollemi stringybark – Eucalypus expressa
  • Grevillea montana
  • Spiny-head Mat-rush – Lomandra longifolia
  • Paperbark Tea Tree – Melaleuca quinquenervia
  • Sickle Wattle – Acacia Falcata
  • Crimson Bottlebrush – Callistemon Citrinus
  • Netted Bottlebrush – Callistemon Linearifolius
  • Narrow-Leaved Bottlebrush – Callistemon Linearis
  • Everlasting Buttons – Chrysocephalum apiculatum
  • Blue Flax Lily – Dianella caerulea
  • Parramatta Redgum – Eucalyptus parramatensis
  • Hop Goodenia – Goodenia ovata
  • Purple Coral Pea – Hardenbergia violacea
  • Dusky Coral Pea – Kennedia rubicunda
  • Hairy Bush Pea – Pultanaea villosa
  • Australian Indigo – Indigophera australis

We also have a biodiversity plan for the fauna here at the vineyard, and we are working to promote bird nesting through the construction of native nesting boxes at the property.