Our Organic Practices
URLAR Gladstone became fully BioGro certified in 2010. Our commitment to Organic Viticulture and Winemaking has continued to this day. We also embrace biodynamic practices throughout the year.
URLAR is about giving life back to the soil and managing the vineyard as a balanced sustainable farming unit. This includes organic practices such as recycling through composts and liquid manures and increasing plant bio diversity through inter-row crops.
Our own Highland cow herd provide the manure to drive our composting process. Using the biodynamic farming and gardening calendar, the influences of the sun, moon, planets and stars are recognised and used where possible.
Our 31 hectare vineyard located on free-draining soils has over 100,000 vines planted. Our inter-row crop rotation maintains healthy soils full of life and bio diversity. Flowers, such as buckwheat, lupins and phacelia provide crucial protection to the vineyard attracting beneficial insects that will kill off unwanted pests that can destroy the fruit and vines. A good example of this is the Tasmanian Wasp which preys on the Leaf roller Caterpillar – a pest that causes harmful botrytis, a type of rot in the grape bunches.
Biodynamic preparations allow us to further enhance our Vineyard. We apply 500, 501 and CPP on an annual basis. For more information please visit http://biodynamic.org.nz/