How we care for water in the Ucúquer vineyard
World Water Day has been celebrated every March 22 since 1993 to raise awareness and inspire action to combat the global water crisis. The wine industry has been included in this celebration. Considering that one of the essential resources for vine growth and wine production is water, producing countries have incorporated concepts and taken actions to change how this resource is used, consumed, and managed.
Sustainable agriculture includes the concepts consumers demand: reduction of the water footprint, efficiency in water use, and harmlessness concerning human health and the environment. In Chile, these aspects are aligned with the work conducted by Wines of Chile through its “Sustainable management and handling of water in vineyards and wineries” program, in addition to the “Sustainability Code” certification that Concha y Toro has received since 2012. Both initiatives seek to generate methodological tools that will enable the industry to move towards efficient and sustainable water management in all its operations.
Barrier Ball® technology applied in Ucúquer.
The Gran Reserva wines, made with grapes from sustainably managed vineyards, stand out for their commitment to responsible and efficient water consumption.
Among the initiatives applied to the Ucúquer Estate, where Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc originates, the following stand out:
Water conservation is essential in the wine industry to ensure long-term environmental and economic sustainability. Both producers and consumers must become aware of the importance of water in wine production and work together to encourage sustainable practices throughout the industry.
We comply with the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal responsibility to balance benefit and purpose.
We adopt an Impact Business Model, creating beneficial links between business, community, and environment.
The Gran Reserva vineyards are an important part of the project to conserve native forest areas and protect local biodiversity. Our native forests have the ability to retain rainwater and control the kind of climate change that results from water shortages.
We take care of 1,432 hectares of protected forests and, on average per vineyard, a total of 105 species of fauna and 48 species of registered flora.
Our effort to preserve nature begins with responsible water consumption. 99% of the water we use comes from surface and subterranean sources.
Our vineyards are drip irrigated, which translates to a 90% efficiency on water consumption, and over the past 3 years, we’ve reduced our water footprint by 10%.
All of our winemaking processes require the use of energy. Our choice to invest in clean, renewable energy reflects our desire to co-create a sustainable planet for the future.
100% of the electricity used to make the wines in the Gran Reserva collection come from renewable sources, including solar energy.
Concha y Toro has been certified under the Wines of Chile Sustainability Code since 2012, which means that our vineyards are officially recognized as sustainable vineyards.
The wines in our Gran Reserva collection are crafted entirely from estate-owned grapes in sustainably managed vineyards.
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