Angove Family Winemakers is Australia’s leading certified organic grape grower and winemaker, with a deep commitment to sustainability at all levels. With major interests in vineyards across South Australia, the links to the land are as strong as ever and the desire to protect and improve this finite natural resource is driving much of the development of the Angove brand.
Established 135 years ago by Dr William Angove and now under the guidance of the 5th generation of the Angove family, the brand has a deep heritage in health and wellbeing. Dr Angove emigrated to Australia from Cornwall in 1886. He entered viticulture and winemaking when, as a medical doctor, he recommended wine as a tonic to his patients, and began cultivating vines and making wine.
Angove has been certified organic for 15 years, with Angove Organic the leading Organic brand in Australia. One of the major highlights was being named Organic Business of the Year in 2019. The prestigious awards were presented as part of the annual Australian Organic Industry Awards which recognise the achievements of businesses who are committed to sustainable and organic practice across different sectors including wine.
Made with the gentlest touch and with minimal inputs, the Angove family crafts their range of exceptional Certified Organic wines from premium grapes sourced from their organic and biodynamic vineyards through McLaren Vale and the Riverland. At no stage during the grape growing or winemaking processes are synthetic chemicals or non-organic inputs used.
Pest and weed control without the use of synthetic chemicals is one of the biggest challenges for Certified Organic grape growing and winemaking. At Angove Family Winemakers, a unique natural ‘Task Force’ stands proudly protecting the delicate vineyards which are cared for with the Angove “Gentle Touch” methodology. The task force, made up of the Indian Runner ducks, microbats, rose bushes and honeybees, are carefully used to ensure environmental balance and sustainability that delivers best in class certified organic wine.
The Indian runner ducks help control the snail population and prevent them from munching on new buds and young soft shoots. They are essential to maintaining the vineyards in a natural way without the use of pesticides. Microbats live amongst the native gums amongst the vineyards and naturally control insect species. Similarly, the local bats are a crucial element in maintaining a well-balanced ecosystem that protects the grapes without interfering with the estate. Bees are crucial to a healthy and thriving vineyard. Bees within the vineyard act as insect security guards, making the beneficial insects feel safe and protected, encouraging them to stay and defend the vineyard. Roses are planted at the end of each row of vines, as an early warning system for unwanted mildew which may be detrimental if they gain a foothold on the vines.
Weeds are controlled via extensive use of mulch under vine, which has the added benefit of providing nutrients to the vines and special under-vine mowers built by the Angove engineering team.
Protecting the environment and conserving the natural resources, whilst still ensuring we grow the highest quality grapes and craft the best wine possible is at the core of all Angove Family Winemakers activities. In each area of our operations, Angove Family Winemakers is focused on undertaking real actions and investment to positively benefit the Environment while investigating future opportunities and strategies to measure the overall business impact.
Angove is committed to remaining privately owned and believes remaining in family hands enables the company to be master of its own destiny and remain true to its stated aims and is clearly focussed on building on over 135 years of winemaking excellence.
Angove Organic brands include: Warboys Vineyard, Wild Olive, Angove Organic, and Naturalis.
Learn more about Angove Family Winemakers on their website: angove.com.au
