Technology takes vineyard to the world

One of New Zealand’s fastest growing and most innovative wine companies, Yealands Family Wines, is taking its sustainability story to global markets via a leading edge digital platform.

YealandsLive.co.nz features dynamic content captured via a series of live feeds, directly from the Yealands Estate Seaview vineyard and winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. The website aims to give consumers and the wine trade a unique and authentic behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s premier sustainable wine producers.

Site visitors can navigate each section for multiple live video feeds, a series of time lapse videos, an RSS media feed and the company’s global sales and distribution activity in real-time. Additional features include a climate data feed and up-to-the-minute energy generation data from one of New Zealand’s largest solar installations, as well as updates from the winemaking team.

Wine lovers can also share their photos on social media via the site’s live feed captured by the custom-developed app or by using the hashtag #yealandslive.

General manager of marketing, Michael Wentworth says: “The purpose of YealandsLive is to connect consumers to the heart of the Yealands story through an immersive, visual and authentic experience.”

Yealands is encouraging consumers in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand and the UK to virtually explore its vineyard via a social media campaign. They can then enter the draw to win a personalised YealandsLIVE Travel & Wine Experience including flights, luxury accommodation and spending money at www.yealandslive.co.nz/win.

Yealands Family Wines is the country's sixth largest wine exporter. Its leading edge Seaview winery was established in 2008 and has been carbon neutral since inception.

Located in Awatere Valley in Marlborough, Yealands produces award winning wines at its Seaview vineyard through sustainable practice in harmony with the environment. Twenty five wetland areas have been created at Seaview to provide safe breeding grounds for native birds.  Sheep and Kunekune pigs graze the vineyard and the vines are serenaded with classical music from solar-powered speakers. Yealands’ motto: ‘Think boldly, tread lightly and never say it can’t be done’.

The global brands of Yealands Family Wines include: Yealands Estate and Peter Yealands Wines.

14 July 2015 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor