Vigneron and visionary, David Bruer, proved that environmental stewardship, profitability and award-winning wines can go hand in hand. Wine industry pioneer David Bruer will be forever known as the Godfather of Australian Organic Wine. A chemist by trade, he taught wine chemistry at Adelaide's Roseworthy Agricultural College for fifteen years. While lecturing, he met his late wife, Barbara, whose fierce determination led their winery down the sustainability path when they put down their first vines in 1973. For 30 years, David held the CEO reins at Temple Bruer Organic Wines, one of Australia's largest organic and preservative-free wineries, and one of the first to become carbon neutral. He sadly passed in October 2023, leaving behind a remarkable legacy.
David created a seven-point pathway to achieve carbon neutral status for his winery operations: a ban on airfreight; the introduction of lightweight bottles; switching to hydrofluorocarbon-free refrigeration; efficient warehousing and distribution partnerships; carbon dioxide capture; renewable energy production; and the planting of more than 6000 trees. A strong supporter of the Federal Government's Carbon Farming Initiative, David believed that unless we all do our bit to address climate change, there can be no future for farming.
Thanks to David's pioneering work, Temple Bruer continues to prove that you can lead the way in environmental stewardship, while crafting award-winning wines and making a profit along the way.
