Beyond Sustainability: Regenerating the Vineyard for the Future
At Albury Vineyard, sustainability has never simply been about doing less harm. Increasingly, we’re asking a more ambitious question: how can our vineyard actively contribute to a healthier natural environment?
That thinking is at the heart of our approach to regenerative viticulture.
Our vineyard is organic, we follow biodynamic practices, and we are certified to the Sustainable WineGB standard. But regeneration encourages us to look further at the health of our soils, the diversity of life around the vines and the resilience of the wider landscape.
One example is our approach to mowing. Across both our established and newer vineyards, we mow every other row, using a high setting to allow plants to regenerate and encourage greater plant diversity across the site. This approach has helped us achieve a rich variation of more than 40 plant types.
What’s particularly important, however, is what we can’t see. Each plant supports its own community of microorganisms, including fungi and bacteria, which contribute to the complex soil food web beneath our feet. So, while butterflies, bees and wildflowers provide visible signs of biodiversity, the activity below ground is equally important to the fertility and longevity of our soils.
Our wider approach includes retaining vineyard prunings on site for soil regeneration, creating ponds and developing our biodiversity trail. We also work with local farmers, Surrey Wildlife Trust and the Surrey Hills National Landscape on regenerative projects, including natural chalk grasslands.
Inspiring future generations is another of our core values. Experiences such as our Wildlife Adventure during the school holidays give families the opportunity to discover the wildlife, habitats and natural processes surrounding the vines.
Ultimately, healthy soils and thriving biodiversity support the future of our vineyard. As founding members of the WineGB Sustainability scheme, we’re committed to continuing that progress, sharing what we learn and bringing sustainability to life through a glass of wine.
