Earth Day 2024: Culmina's Organic Transition

Join us as we share our 10-step process to achieve  Organic Certification.

Sustainability has been a pillar of our values since the inception of Culmina Family Estate Winery over a decade ago. We believe that creating iconic wines begins with being good stewards of our exceptional terroir. A combination of small and large efforts are essential to drive sustainability forward, and one of our most significant has been our organic certification, which we were awarded in August 2021.

Here are the processes we adapted on our journey:

1. Posts: All vineyard posts must be metal or untreated wood.
2. Prevention: Instead of using chemical sprays for disease control, pests, and weeds, we use prevention techniques to maintain a healthy vineyard. 
3. Pruning: Pruning is an essential process that is done in late winter to prepare for a succesful growing season. Spurs are pruned to ensure that each cane grows to the top of the row without crossing other canes, to contribute to a healthy canopy with even flowering and fruitset. 
4. Fertilizers: We use organic compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. Some of this organic matter is the pressings of grape skins and stems from previous harvests to ensure minimal waste and the return of essental nutrients to our soils. 
5. Thinning: Throughout the growing season, we remove leaves and thin crops to ensure optimal airflow, reducing disease potential and the need for sprays. 
6. Pest Control: We prepare a proprietary herbal tea from ferns that are foraged in the mountains above our vineyards. This is then used to spray against leaf hoppers and other pests. 
7. Grass Management: Instead of using chemical herbicides, grasses must be cut by hand or with a weed trimmer due to the uneven and rocky terrain of our property. 
8. Perimeter: We must ensure that neighbouring properties are not using non-organic products within an 8 metre perimeter around our vineyards. 
9. Documentation: Every product used in the vineyards must be pre-approved, documented, and submitted to regulators. 
10. Inspection: All protocols must continue to be followed, and each year the property is re-inspected to maintain our certification. 

We have now had the pleasure of having three certified organic harvests. While this year will pose a significant challenge due to crop losses from frost, we are confident that our efforts will promote resilience and we will soon be making new vintages of our spectacular wines once again.