EnviroWines ® Auditing
Audit Body
Both IPW and EnviroWines ® is audited by Enviroscientific®, who is the leading environmental sustainability audit body internationally and also conforms to very strict auditor criteria. Although EnviroWines ® certify wine producers throughout the world, auditing criteria are based on the unique and internationally recognized criteria for the South African Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) scheme. Integrated production is a holistic approach to the farm environment as a whole. It requires that all natural areas, as well as cultivated areas be managed in such a way that all possible negative impacts on the environment are limited to a minimum or eliminated altogether. Audits are based on the evaluation of scientific criteria and not only documentation.
The following IPW criteria will be evaluated for farm and cellar practices respectively:
Evaluation of the farm :
- IPW training
- Conservation and improvement of the farm and vineyard environment (based on a Conservation plan for management of natural areas (where applicable) and an Environment management plan for cultivated areas and farming activities
- Soil and terrain aspects (planting cultivars where they will adapt best, justified soil preparation and chemical adjustment of macro- and micro-elements)
- Use certified planting material and the most suitable cultivar and rootstock
- Optimum vineyard layout
- Weed management programme
- Balanced nutrition
- Irrigation based on plant requirement
- Pruning, trellising, and crop and canopy management
- Restricted use of growth regulators
- Integrated pest Management (IPM) (The application of all available management practices and control measures to control pests and diseases, and to eliminate chemical control as far as possible or to apply it more judiciously.)
- Handling of chemicals
- Record keeping
Evaluation of the winery :
- IPW training
- Grape quality
- Energy use and carbon emissions
- Implementing & maintaining Infrastructure & Equipment
- SO2-levels
- Substances added to wine (precipitants, fining agents – GMO-free, filter materials, etc.)
- Separate chemical store
- Cooling system gasses
- Management of waste water (monitoring amount and quality, storage, disposal)
- Management of solid waste (Disposal, cleaning of dams, pipes, etc.)
- Disinfectants and cleaning agents
- Ambient noise from pumps, compressors, vehicles, etc.)
- Packaging material
- Bottling
For detailed guidelines and scoring criteria see www.ipw.co.za
