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Sustainability and Winemaking

Sustainability

Bird in Hand maintains a high standard of environmental practices across our business. We feel that we should be making every effort to look after our clean, green Adelaide Hills and have recently eliminated all synthetic pesticides and fungicides from the estate vineyards and gardens. We actively encourage biodiversity with the aim to bring back native grasses undervine and a healthy population of good insects.

Starting in the vineyard and extending through to our winemaking processes, our restaurant and kitchen garden, right through to our waste management practices, we continue to invest in innovative ways to reduce our environmental impact for future generations.

We are committed to the ongoing education of our team on the environmental impacts of winemaking and through this endeavour to maintain the pristine region that we are so fortunate to be situated.

The Bird in Hand sustainability initiatives that are currently in place include:

Vineyard

  • Synthetic chemical-free (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and insecticides)
  • German-built Clemens undervine mower imported and commissioned in 2019
  • All inputs (incl. fertilisers) are from organic sources
  • Drip irrigation system upgraded in 2017
  • Mulching in higher parts of the block to reduce water usage

Winery

  • 110 kW solar system installed in 2016
  • All winery wastewater collected and treated then reused onsite
  • All plastic, cardboard, paper, caps, glass and scrap metal recycled
  • All organic solid residues such as grape marc are recycled and sent to facilities to create products such as spirit, tannins and tartrates

Grounds

  • Chemical-free
  • All organic matter and food / green waste composted and reused onsite
  • All inputs are from organic sources

 

Our Way of Winemaking

Situated in the center-bottom of the country, Bird in Hand enjoys some of the best conditions on earth for cool climate wines. The seaside influence of the Gulf of St. Vincent compliments the cloudiness of the Mount Lofty Ranges to create a special diurnal temperature shift beloved by our grapes.

While the climate and soil get much of the credit for our gorgeous grapes, it’s our job to harvest and transform them into wines that express the exceptional character of the terroir. We do that sustainably, by listening to the land, working it as we see fit, using as little chemical intervention as possible.

We use gentle methods like clone selection, which brings a certain subtlety that wasn’t present when the wine industry began in Australia. With our award-winning chardonnay, for example, we selected Burgundian plants that thrive naturally in conditions similar to those of the Adelaide Hills. The fresh fruit is apparent from the aromatics to the palate. And then there’s the texture—soft, creamy, mouthfilling—the result of wild fermentation and limited battonage.

Our careful methods continue to produce award-winning wines of several varietals and blends. Of course we make a mean shiraz, but we’re also known for our sparkling pinot noir, as well as riesling, sauvignon blanc, and Italian varietals like nero d’avola, montepulciano, and arneis, too. We believe our wines represent a rare globalist outlook while extracting consistent excellence from our native land.

Since life presents many occasions that wine can enhance, we focus our offering on four tiers, each with a distinct purpose…

Our Wines

Tribute Series

The very pinnacle of our potential, suitable for marking milestones and special occasions. Available only to our Flight Club members, and on site.
Explore Tribute Series

Nest Egg

Only after some time do these wines develop their individual character, immediately apparent in their powerful structure, due to generous use of French oak.
Explore Nest Egg

Bird in Hand

A bit more power here. These wines have the diversity of being approachable at a young age, but the maturity to hang on.
Explore Bird In Hand

Two In the Bush

Our daily variety is an incredible choice for simple meals and casual drinking. Surprisingly generous in its fruit-driven flavour, with just a hint of oak.
Explore Two In The Bush

Here, wine is not a thing. It's not a mere object of desire that is bought, consumed and forgotten

Bird in Hand Coffee Table Book