Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) is preparing to celebrate three decades in 2025.

NZ Winegrowers says it was the industry’s goal of increasing wine exports from $41m to $100m per annum by the year 2000 that prompted the programme’s development.

“The industry leaders were passionate and innovative. They could see the opportunities for an export-focused wine industry,” says Fabian Yukich, Chair New Zealand Winegrowers. “They knew the importance of sustainability to ensure New Zealand wine would be internationally renowned for its premium reputation. They also believed the way forward was to unite winegrowers and winemakers. Working together would ensure success.”

In 1995, five vineyards participated in the first scorecard system to measure impacts over time and encourage positive enhancements to vineyard management. This trial resulted in the framework for the new sustainability programme that was later named Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ).

By 2002, wine exports were $246m per annum, far exceeding the initial goal, and over 100 vineyards were participating, and 10 wineries had joined the programme.

Independent audits were introduced for vineyards in 2004 and for participating wineries two years later. A SWNZ brand logo was introduced in 2007/8 for wines where 100% of the grapes and the winemaking facilities were certified by SWNZ.

NZ Winegrowers says that over 30 years SWNZ has evolved into a robust, independently audited programme that now certifies 96% of New Zealand’s vineyard area and approximately 90% of wine production by volume and focuses on six key areas: Climate Change, Water, Waste, Plant Protection, Soil and People.

In 2024, exports of New Zealand wine exceeded $2b per annum.