Just as the wines of Elgo Estate are nurtured to reflect the special qualities of this region, we believe it is therefore our responsibility to preserve this beautiful environment.
Elgo Estate has created an industry blueprint, being the first winery in Australia (and possibly the world) to generate and be fully self-powered by renewable wind energy. The installation of our 30 metre tall, 150kW wind turbine in 2007 allowed us to save approximately 400 tonnes of damaging greenhouse gas emissions per year, whilst generating enough electricity to fully power the winery twice over. Our excess clean, green energy is fed into the main power grid.
Elgo Estate has adopted a holistic approach to sustainability over the past 20 years through a raft of significant initiatives including the establishment of a 200 acre wildlife sanctuary, land regeneration and tree plantings, state-of-the-art winery water management and waste recycling. The waste water emanating from the winery is recycled and returned to water the winery surrounds and vineyard. A sophisticated arrangement of screening out the solid waste and aeration of the waste water in specially constructed effluent ponds lowers the high organic load of winery effluent, making it acceptable for vineyard irrigation.
The screened waste-water is fed through a series of ponds which are aerated to feed the aerobic bacteria with oxygen. Aeration is simply conducted by large motor driven propellers that vigorously churn the surface of the water. The bacteria that break down the organic matter carried in the waste-water require oxygen to complete this essential part of the process.
The pressed-out grape-skins that are left at the end of the winemaking process are also cycled back into the vineyard. Once broken down, the spent grapes (also known as “marc”), are put back into the ground, enriching the soil with organic matter.
Even our sheep have a role to play, eating weeds in the vineyard between harvest and bud burst which significantly reduces the need to use tractors, which in turn reduces fossil fuel use and the need for herbicides.
Elgo Estate goes well beyond being carbon neutral and we are truly committed to producing high quality wines that don’t cost the earth.