The BOOM Awards are the UK’s only dedicated organic awards, celebrating the very best in organic food, drink, beauty, fashion, and farming. Judged by a panel of industry experts, chefs, food writers, and sustainability leaders, the awards recognise excellence in taste, innovation and environmental responsibility across the organic sector.
Within our range, both the Grüner Veltliner and Viognier are certified organic with The Soil Association, and many of our other winemakers follow organic practices. If you spot these two cans, you’ll find both the Soil Association and EU organic logos displayed on the back.
We’re delighted to share that our Grüner Veltliner was Highly Commended at this year’s BOOM Awards, shortlisted in the Best of Organic Wines category. It stood alongside outstanding organic wines such as Davenport Vineyards and Vintage Roots.
These wines represent the pinnacle of organic winemaking, showcasing exceptional quality and a commitment to sustainable viticulture, one which we were extremely proud to be a part of.
The SOIL ASSOCIATION
Several of our wines have always been grown and made organically at our partner wineries. To label them as such, we have to undergo organic certification – the Soil Association is one of the certification bodies in the UK. Organic farming is based on four principles that aim to minimise the disruption of the environment and maintain healthy soils.
Health – sustaining & enhancing health of soil, plant, animals and humans
Ecology – working with & sustaining ecological systems and cycles
Care – precautionary & responsible protection of health and well-being of current and future generations
Fairness – common environment & life opportunities
HOW ORGANIC CERTIFICATION WORKS
Every step in our supply chain must meet organic standards – the wineries, canning site to our bonded warehousing. Applied to the wine industry, organic standards limit the sprays allowed in the vineyard, allow the use of copper sulphate to fight disease pressure, limit the use of additives and processing aids and limit the level of total and free sulphur dioxide.
We are inspected at least once a year to prove robust processes and paperwork that show the standards are being met. After inspection, we are issued a certificate and trading schedule that lists all of the products that are certified to trade as organic The inspectors are inspected every year by further accreditation bodies that report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
A spotlight on our Grüner winemaker – markus huber
Our Grüner is grown by winemaker Markus Huber, who began his journey in viticulture and vinification at a young age where he has now committed himself to converting his parents’ 4-hectare wine-producing business into a full winery.
Markus focuses on ecological viticulture and using natural resources sustainably. The winery has a low carbon footprint, with the goal of being fully carbon neutral within the next five years, all the wines are certified organic, and the entire winery is certified according to the requirements of “Sustainable Austria”. Below are just a few examples of how he is paving the way for ecological viticulture:
- Use of regenerative probiotic bacterial cultures for soil health
- Use of herbal extracts in the vineyard has reduced the number of applications of plant protecting products by a third.
- 10% of vineyard is dedicated to insect biodiversity
- Vineyard soils are now being transformed into CO2 reservoirs through perennial mulch and little tillage which increases the soil’s water content.
- Using sheep to graze on cover crops and supply natural dung, this helps to promote biodiversity and natural balance of soil
We are super proud to be a part of the changemakers who are growing a better, fairer and more organic world.
