Casas del Bosque > The vineyard > Sustainability

Sustainability

Casas del Bosque owns in the Casablanca Valley a total of 227 planted hectares, of which 219 are are currently in full production. Our pure varieties, which have been produced and selected throughout the years, are distributed as follows:

Sauvignon Blanc: 50% of our vineyard
Pinot Noir: 25%
Chardonnay and Syrah: 20%
Riesling and Malbec: 5%

Responsible Use Of Water

All our vineyards have a modern and technological drip irrigation system, supplied with water from underground wells. For each plot, and depending on the variety, soil type and microclimate, we establish different irrigation managements. The vines for red wines are irrigated in a very precise way, adding only enough water to obtain small, thick-skinned berries with great concentration of aromas and flavors. At Casas del Bosque we have a natural reservoir we call Los Olivos, as well as other covered reservoirs to avoid evaporation and keep our water clean. In addition, we keep a daily track of all the water used by our different areas, always searching for the greatest hydric efficiency. The water used in the winery is treated specifically for its reuse in maintaining the gardens.

Integrated Vineyard Management

As a way of achieving an efficient use of resources and respecting our environment, at Casas del Bosque we also implemented a series of other sustainable practices, such as controlling pests, diseases and weeds by means of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. We additionally protect the biodiversity with cover crops that provide organic matter, help us to retain humidity and to improve our soil’s structure, thus avoiding erosion and its compaction. We are currently focused on a transition to completely eliminate –in the near future– the use of herbicides to kill weeds. For fighting powdery mildium, we apply mainly sulfur in the vineyard, a product that is organic and harmless.

Thinning

In line with our philosophy of producing wines of the highest quality, during the weeks prior to harvest we undertake a bunch-thinning that allows controlling the fruit-load per plant. The thinning’s characteristics vary according to the different varieties and the meteorological conditions present in each terroir. At harvest time, we also select the bunches that meet the demands outlined by our winemakers.

CONSERVATION AND BIODIVERSITY

On our farm, we develop other agricultural activities, such as livestock management. As of this, we produce compost that provides organic matter and nutrients for the vineyard’s soils. The biological corridors also play a very important role in conservation. Within its boundaries, we generate an ecosystem that allows native plants to share their space with the vineyards and, in that habitat, lodge the natural enemies of various plagues and diseases that may affect the crops. Both the biological corridors and the native flora and fauna conservation areas also allow us to control potential diseases and pests in a natural way. In our Los Olivos reservoir, apart from native flora such as lavender, roses and guaras, it is also possible to find wild geese and ducks that cohabit with other typical bird species, such as queltehues, owls and kestrels.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

At Casas del Bosque we manage a waste protocol for the correct handling of all wastes generated in the fields and in the winery: we classify and separate waste material, using methods of recycling and composting as well.

Sustainability code

We are certified by the Sustainability Code of the Chilean Wine Industry. Subscribing this code is mainly a challenge to: • Plan, implement and maintain an integrated management system with the aim of achieving a sustainable wine production. • Reduce possible impacts on the environment that could eventually occur during the production process. • Guard the interactions of our workers with the company, sheltered by a Code of Ethics. • Optimize the communication with our clients and suppliers, as well as with all the communities close to our vineyard. • Aim to always correct and improve our management and performance.

BUSCADOR