Mission Estate, New Zealand's oldest winemakers, officially open sustainable new winery
Friday 3 February 2012, 3:27PM
By Mission Estate
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Last night Prime Minister John Key officially opened Mission Estate’s recently completed Napier winery. It was a major statement for the New Zealand winemaking industry, with the country’s oldest winemakers revealing how they are deploying up-to-the-minute technology and sustainable practices throughout their operation.
Currently celebrating their 160th birthday, Mission Estate have capitalised on their unique heritage to become one of New Zealand’s most innovative companies. Times are tough in the wine industry, but Mission Estate is a notable success story.
Their purpose-built new winery demonstrates Mission Estate’s commitment to producing wines of exceptional quality while “living lightly on the land”.
The modern refrigeration systems enable wine processing with a minimal carbon footprint.
Tilt slab thermo-mass construction, with high tech insulated walls and ceilings, helps to keep energy use at approximately one quarter of the industry benchmark. The winery is operated under an environmental management system and audited to an ISO 14001 accreditation.
“The Mission Estate winery gives us the capacity to continue our domestic and international growth,” said Peter Holley, CEO of Mission Estate. “Thanks to advanced viticultural and winemaking techniques, along with continuing innovations, our business is sound – and our wines are performing outstandingly well against some of the best producers in the world.”
In his speech at the winery opening, Mr Key also noted the quality of Mission Estate wines. “Mission Estate recently placed third behind first growth Bordeaux from big name Chateaus,” said the self-confessed Syrah aficionado. This was in a blind taste test held last year, where the Mission Jewelstone Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot 2009 was rated just behind first growth reds from the legendary Mouton Rothschild and Haut-Brion.
“Our new winery and its modern technology provides obvious synergies with our sustainably accredited vineyards,” explained Mr Holley. “This is further improving our production of quality wines with distinctive regional characteristics.”