Editorial: Keep moving forward

"From learning that dirt wasn't dirt, it was a whole ecosystem beneath my feet, to Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) becoming a world class vineyard standard." The main thing the viticulturist has learned in this evolution, "is that we always have to keep moving forward".

This edition focuses in on the New Zealand Winegrowers Sustainability Report 2025, released as the industry celebrates 30 years of SWNZ. That benchmark programme's great success is thanks in part to having such high industry buy-in, with 98% of all producing vineyard area certified by SWNZ, providing empirical data consumers can trust. But its global recognition is also due to the industry's constant drive to move forward, do better and challenge the status quo, from the Roadmap to Net Zero 2050, decarbonising wine, to Project Raumatatiki, helping winegrowers better protect their waterways.

Beyond their SWNZ requirements, myriad wine companies are going above and beyond when it comes to the environment, with a dedication to soils, plants and planet. What I have loved in preparing this edition, is seeing how challenging the status quo sometimes means tapping into cutting edge technology, and other times looking back to traditional techniques. In Central Otago, Felton Road is using drones to spray, reducing emissions and compaction while enhancing precision. Meanwhile in Marlborough, Emma Rossignol is ploughing vineyards with her Clydesdale Duchess for exactly the same reasons. "Our understanding of soils and plants has come a long way, and there's a need to embrace some of the new technologies," says the committee co-chair of the Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference Nick Pett of that juxtaposition in organic vineyards around the country. "Things don't have to be done like they were 100 years ago, but there is a time and place to use these historical learnings too." The conference embraces both, with sessions on biodynamic winegrowing and on counting earthworms using environmental DNA.

The meeting of traditional ways and a sustainable future are perfectly encapsulated by Matariki, emphasising the relationships between nature and people. Viticulturist Jeff Sinnott, a member of the Tuku Māori Winemakers Collective, looks at their relevance to our grape and wine community in this edition as well. Manaaki Whenua, Manaaki Tangata, Haere Whakamua; If we take care of the earth, and take care of the people, we will take care of the future.

Sophie Preece

EDITOR