The year 2023 is a significant point in Voyager Estate’s history, as it marks the first time that every grape grown on the estate is Australian Certified Organic. Its vineyards have been farmed sustainably for decades, so transitioning to organic practices and a pathway to certification was a natural next step. After the official three-year certification process began in 2017 and the first stage was completed in January 2020, the first vineyards became certified organic, and the winery also became a certified organic processor, enabling the wines to be certified from the 2020 vintage onwards.

Since committing to certification, Voyager Estate has continued shifting its practices, including using beneficial bugs to combat pests, cover cropping in the inter-row space, making and applying its own compost every year, and using precision irrigation and data to manage and conserve water. It also uses sheep to graze the vineyards in winter to keep the weeds down and add natural fertiliser. In 2022, the team introduced a small flock of ducks into one of the vineyards to test a more natural method of snail control, with some early promising results. Not a single opportunity to build soil health in the vineyard has been lost!

Additionally, Voyager Estate has joined International Wineries for Climate Action – a collaborative working group of wineries that recognise climate change as the most significant threat to the global wine community and are committed to accelerating innovative solutions. For the Voyager Estate team, the key driver is to consciously build a healthy and resilient vineyard and, ultimately, leave its special patch of land in a better condition for future generations.

www.voyagerestate.com.au