our approach
our aim
Tractorless Vineyard’s aim is to reduce our resource use by the integration of natural farming systems in our vineyards.
This will provide a more long-term, sustainably balanced and diverse farming system that can continue to produce award-winning cool climate wines in the Southern Highlands, NSW.
Embracing a combination of biodynamic techniques coupled with the integration of animal systems in vineyards – namely our star Tractorless Vineyard sheep – we hope to take our wines into another level of long-term sustainability and increasing wine quality.
our inspiration
Winemaker Jeff Aston draws on his experiences winemaking in Georgia, Europe, the oldest winemaking region in the world with its roots traced back to 8000 years ago. Some of the best-known wine producers in France and throughout Europe have been long-term, or have converted to biodynamic viticulture and winemaking techniques and methods to sustain grape quality, in order to produce some of the highest rated wines in the world.
Inspiration is also drawn from Dr Rudolf Steiner’s insights into biodynamic farming and its impacts on the social, economic and agricultural management of vineyards.
Why move to this approach?
We have the opportunity, knowledge and skills to produce a crop in a more environmentally friendly way, and we have embraced it with vigour.
solar power
Our solar power system produces enough electricity to save 7.4 tonnes of Carbon each year. This is equivalent to planting a tree a day.
Tractorless Sheep
Every single time our flock of Tractorless Vineyard sheep negate the need for us to mow the vineyard we save approximately 100kg of Carbon”
biodynamic method
By running our vineyards biodynamically we are saving up to 9T of Carbon each year with the added bonus of no nasty systemic chemical sprays being applied
How is Tractorless possible?
Our vineyard involves the integration of intensive cell grazing of sheep in the growing season to reduce the resource and time-hungry vineyard tasks such as weed control and mid-row management, with the added bonus of producing 100% grass-fed lamb.
A bit about Biodynamics…
Biodynamics is a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food and nutrition. Based on the insights of De Rudolf Steiner, biodynamic farmers strive to create a diversified, balanced farm ecosystem that generates health and fertility as much as possible from within the farm itself.