Posted: 01.06.2021
Responsibility and respect for the environment. Chateau Chizay is the first winery in Ukraine to join the Porto Protocol
The Porto Protocol is an international organization that brings together wine companies that implement and promote good environmental practices. The union was created in response to climate change, the goal is to protect the environment, to unite responsible producers so that preserve and improve the environment. Chateau Chizay wine company, was the first in Ukraine to join the Porto Protocol. The letter of principles of the Porto Protocol was signed by its founder Gennadiy Gutman.
Porto Protocol Commission under the expert support of Olena Motuzenko, Candidate of Geographical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Geography, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, project experts of the European Commission and the National Tourism Organization of Ukraine carefully studied the environmental policy of the Winery, evaluated the implemented and planned projects, conducted interviews and officially made decision on Chateau Chizay joining the organization.
Chateau Chizay is a company that is the heir to the traditions of winemaking in Transcarpathia, the flagship of the industry in the region and one of the leading wineries in Ukraine.
“Creating a quality wine with its own character and doing it in harmony with the environment is the philosophy of Chateau Chizay. Vineyards are our main asset and pride. And at the same time a great responsibility. Grapes need sun and clean air, soil and water. And only a comprehensive approach to the environment allows us to make premium wines and constantly raise the bar.
We are a responsible producer and for us the ecological condition and development of Transcarpathia in general is extremely important. And this is by no means just a declaration. It is our mission to promote a caring attitude to the environment in Transcarpathia. There are many environmental threats in the region. They are plastic littering and harmful practice of burning agricultural residues. We must fight these phenomena together.
We joined the Porto Protocol to implement eco-initiatives together. We have good experience in this,” said Gennadiy Gutman.
The Company implements many ideas to preserve and improve the environment of the region. Here are some of them:
– The project of partial transition to electric transport has begun.
– The project of transition to the use of solar energy in bottling facility, warehouses and offices is being developed.
– We use the world’s leading protocols for grape processing.
– Pruned vine is not burned. The cut vine is crushed, turned into mulch, returned to the soil as an organic fertilizer.
– Sorting garbage, using waste as a secondary raw material is commonplace, as well as the offer for customers to use reusable shopper bags.
– Reduction of paperwork. We use recycled paper (for example, to print tasting cards).
– The Company promotes environmental ideas among tourists. There is a walking route through the vineyards, where guests admire the scenery and gain respect and love for the nature.
Chateau Chizay promotes environmentally friendly practices in its information activities. It advantages the idea of a complete ban on burning dry grass and stubble in agriculture and the fight against plastic littering.
By the way, the vineyards of Chateau Chizay are a healthy ecosystem and home to fauna: pheasants, hares, foxes, roe deer and other animals live safely on the plantations.
Another interesting idea, which found a response in the Porto Club is to develop natural systems as opposed to artificial agricultural tools. A few years ago, falcons began to be fed in the vineyard of Mala Gora area so that they would scare away flocks of starlings that peck the grapes. It turned out that various wineries in the world also attract birds of prey to life in the vineyards, which “work” instead of pyrotechnics or shooting the pests.
Chateau Chizay intends to work actively within the framework of the Porto Protocol with the members of the organization and plans to expand environmental initiatives.
This applies to the daily work in the vineyards, production and office facilities, and activities as lobbyists who disseminate eco-ideas among businesses, agricultural enterprises and residents of Transcarpathia.