Australian Enterprise Awards 2019

28 APAC / Australian Enterprise Awards 2019 , De Bortoli Wines Pty Ltd Best Italian-Inspired Winemaker 2019: De Bortoli Wines Pty Ltd Jan19295 Thanks to a long legacy of family winemaking, De Bortoli Wines Pty Ltd has achieved an enviable reputation for excellence in this time-honoured craft. We invited Leanne De Bortoli to tell us more about the business and how they create truly spectacular wines. Established in 1928, De Bortoli Wines is now a fourth-generation family wine company and one of Australia’s largest and best-loved family-owned wineries. Leanne discusses how the business has evolved and adapted to changes with in the wine market whilst remaining committed to excellence provided. “We like to think we are forward-thinking in our grape-growing, winemaking and management of resources. This requires adaptation to the changing environment and what we can do to grow better fruit, make a high quality wine and minimise waste. “One such project is an innovative potassium recovery technology that we have called ‘The De Bortoli Method’. This unique system aims to significantly reduce the amount of chemicals used to clean winery tanks and machinery, while improving wastewater and soil quality at our wastewater farm. “It uses a form of electrolysis to recover up any potassium from spent winery wash-water to produce a potassium hydroxide (KOH) cleaning solution. Although only at pilot scale, The De Bortoli Method is a circular approach taking a waste product and recycling it to be useful. This technology challenges the current thinking, and creates an avenue to lower our imported chemical reliance, and with the potential to do the same for other wineries and industries. “Our goal is to become a ‘Zero Waste’ Wine Company and whilst aspirational, this opens our company to go well beyond mandatory requirements. We have adopted upon a wide range of innovative practices such as water management, an ongoing move to biological farming in more of our vineyards, and a careful overhaul of our packaging and waste management practices.” As she looks to the future Leanne is confident that De Bortoli Wines can continue to flourish leading the way for the next generation. “Recently, we acquired Rutherglen Estates in Northeast Victoria with an aim to expand our premium wine focus. We are confident that high quality Victorian red wine with richness, freshness and interest will increase in demand both domestically and internationally for varieties such as Shiraz and Grenache, along with Tempranillo, Touriga and Durif.” Contact Details: Company: De Bortoli Wines Pty Ltd Name: Leanne De Bortoli Address: Pinnacle Lane, Dixons Creek, VIC 3775, Australia Telephone Number: 03 5965 2271 Web Address: debortoli.com.au “Our goal is to become a ‘Zero Waste’ Wine Company and whilst aspirational, this opens our company to go well beyond mandatory requirements.”