Sustainable Viticulture

The OIV, the intergovernmental organisation of vine and wine, defines sustainable vitiviniculture as a global strategy on the scale of grape production and processing systems. It brings together the economic sustainability of structures and territories, producing quality products, the requirements of precision in sustainable viticulture, risks to the environment, product safety and consumer health, and the value of heritage, historical, cultural, ecological and landscape aspects. The OIV text also cites the definition of sustainable development as development that is economically viable, ecologically sound and socially equitable. The French term viticulture durable is defined in closely matching terms, as a global approach at the scale of grape production systems.

• Principle 1 of the OIV general principles (resolution OIV-CST 518-2016): a sustainable approach integrates environmental, social and economic aspects
• Principle 2: sustainable vitiviniculture respects the environment
• Principle 3: sustainable vitiviniculture is sensitive to social and cultural aspects
• Principle 4: sustainable vitiviniculture seeks to maintain economic viability
• Principle 5: sustainable initiatives require planning and assessment

According to Decanter, most vineyards are monocultures that rely heavily on preventive spraying of herbicides, fungicides and pesticides to keep disease and pests at bay. A more sustainable approach means reducing chemical sprays rather than eradicating them altogether, and certification programs such as Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand audit their members' practices. As Dr Jamie Goode, co-author of Authentic Wine: Toward Natural and Sustainable Winemaking, puts it: 'You need to spray grapes with chemicals whatever your approach, even organics and biodynamics.'

• Decanter describes a 'multi-pronged' approach to sustainable viticulture, from reduced chemical inputs in the vineyard to a focus on worker welfare

In vineyard integrated pest management (IPM), increasing biodiversity on site with cover crops and perimeter plantings is a biological tactic, alongside introducing beneficial organisms. New Zealand's 2022 industry sustainability report records many New Zealand vineyards adopting practices such as planting cover crops between vine rows.

• Cover crops and perimeter plantings are ways to increase biodiversity on site
• Introducing beneficial organisms is a biological control tactic
• For spider mites, recommended cultural controls include cover crops or other vegetation and no till

Organic growers commit to using products free of synthetic organic molecules; in the vineyard they use materials of natural origin such as copper, sulfur and plant-based insecticides. Decanter notes that it is "often argued that 'organic' treatments such as copper or sulphur damage the environment more than synthetic sprays". Biodynamics appeared in 1924 under the influence of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and agronomist. Biodynamic growers apply preparations made from plant materials (horsetail or nettle teas), animal materials (horn manure) and mineral materials (quartz), at precise moments in line with the vine's growth cycles and in relation to the lunar and planetary calendar. Biodynamic certification is not government regulated; it is granted by private institutions, notably Demeter International and Biodyvin.

• In 2019, certified organic vineyards were estimated at 454 thousand hectares, 6.2% of the world's total area under vines, in 63 countries
• From 2005 to 2019, certified organic vineyard area grew by an average of 13% per year, while non-organic vineyard area fell by an average of 0.4% per year
• Spain, France and Italy together account for 75% of the world's organic vineyards
• By share of national vineyard area, Italy devotes 15% of its vineyards to organic viticulture, followed by France (14%) and Austria (14%)
• Biodyvin is a biodynamic certification body for European wineries only

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the use of multiple methods to ensure sustained management of major pests without disrupting the cropping system ecology. It combines chemical, cultural and biological methods. Chemical control is paired with cultural practices, including leaf removal and practices that alter the vine microclimate. France's Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin (IFV) defines integrated control (lutte intégrée) as the rational application of a combination of biological, biotechnological, chemical, physical and cultural measures in which plant-protection products are limited to what is strictly necessary to keep pests below the threshold at which damage or an economically unacceptable loss appears.

• IPM combines chemical, cultural and biological methods
• An Oregon State University extension slide states that pesticide use is required in all commercial vineyards
• Chemical control is paired with cultural practices such as leaf removal and practices that alter the vine microclimate
• For spider mites, chemical controls come in when a critical threshold is reached

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) is an industry-wide certification programme led by New Zealand Winegrowers. It launched in 1995 as a programme based on continuous improvement. To be certified, members complete annual submissions and undergo regular full-site audits conducted by an independent, third-party verification company. In 2026, 98% of New Zealand's vineyard producing area is SWNZ certified, over 90% of New Zealand wine is processed in SWNZ certified facilities, and 10% of vineyard producing area operates under recognized certified organic programs. Sustainable Winegrowing Australia is Australia's national program for grapegrowers and winemakers to demonstrate and continuously improve their sustainability credentials in the vineyard and winery through the environmental, social and economic aspects of their businesses. It is administered by the Australian Wine Research Institute with the governance, endorsement and active support of Australian Grape & Wine and Wine Australia, and is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. South Africa introduced guidelines on sustainability as early as 1998; independent auditors audit the farms and cellars, and farms that pass the audit can use the sustainability seal.

• SWNZ's six sustainability focus areas are Climate Change, Water, Waste, Plant Protection, Soil and People
• New Zealand Winegrowers' 2022 Sustainability Report, drawing on data from 310 wineries and 1,840 vineyards in the SWNZ programme for the 2020-2021 season, found that 98% of vineyards and wineries measure and record the total water they use
• New Zealand Winegrowers released the New Zealand Wine Roadmap to Net Zero 2050 on 30 August 2024; it sets out where the industry needs to be at 2030, 2040 and 2050, toward the industry goal of Net Zero by 2050
• Sustainable Wine South Africa is a joint venture between the Wine and Spirit Board, the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) scheme and Wines of South Africa
• From the 2010 vintage, South African wines have carried an official seal that certifies, among other things, that the wine has been produced sustainably

Primary sources: https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/5766/oiv-cst-518-2016-en.pdf https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/8499/focus-bio-press-release.pdf https://www.vignevin.com/publications/fiches-pratiques/viticulture-raisonnee-biologique-biodynamique-definitions/ https://industry.oregonwine.org/wp-content/uploads/OWS2022_Patty_Skinkis_Viticulture-for-Winemakers.pdf https://www.nzwine.com/en/sustainability/swnz/ https://www.nzwine.com/en/sustainability/swnz/30-years-of-swnz/ https://www.nzwine.com/en/media/media-releases/new-zealand-winegrowers-launches-roadmap-to-net-zero-2050/ https://www.nzwine.com/media/22253/nz-winegrowers-sustainability-report-2022.pdf https://www.wineaustralia.com/sustainability/sustainable-winegrowing-australia https://www.wosa.co.za/sustainability/environmentally-sustainable/sustainable-wine-south-africa/ Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/learn/wine-sustainable-option-410262/ https://www.decanter.com/learn/sustainability-in-wine-explained-478803/ https://www.decanter.com/wine/sustainable/the-360-approach-of-sustainability-in-viticulture-554547/ Last verified 2026-11-02