Austria's viticulture: a model for sustainable management!

Austria's viticulture: a model for sustainable management!

Austria is a pioneer in sustainable viticulture: Almost 12,000 hectares of the wine -growing areas are managed under the comprehensive “Sustainable Austria” program. This corresponds to impressive 27 % of the country's total vineyard area. The certification, which has become increasingly important since its introduction a decade ago, ensures that companies comply with strict environmentally friendly standards. Chris Yorke, Managing Director of Austria Wein Marketing GmbH, underlines the significance of this award, which positions Austrian wine as environmentally conscious. Sustainable viticulture is not only done by compliance with regulations, but by a deeper commitment to continuous improvements.

The numbers speak for themselves: In the "sustainable Austria" companies, there are no insecticides on 77 % of the areas, and the glyphosate ban applies nationwide. Over 70 % of the companies have reached energy -saving standards, while two thirds of the wineries rely on renewable energies. These impressive progress since 2019 has shown a clear development towards ecologically sustainable cultivation. The control company confirms that organic certification is important for an ecological economy, whereby the entire company must meet ecological standards, which also requires a timely application for subsidies in some federal states.

The importance of organic certification

Another aspect of the Austrian wine market is the organic marking, which requires comprehensive control and compliance with strict guidelines. The switch to organic cultivation can take up to three years, depending on the previous cultivation methods. This means that companies have to proactively act in order to successfully design the changeover and to be able to harvest their grapes as ecological products. The monitoring is carried out by external checkpoints that carry out regular inspections and ensure compliance with the regulations.

The great demand for environmentally friendly wine not only underlines the importance of ecological practices, but also shows how much consumer value attaches to sustainable products. The further development of the companies in Austria, which strive for internationally recognized standard exams in addition to national certificates, speaks for the dynamics and commitment of the entire industry to constantly improve their practices, as can be read on Controlgesellschaft.de