Denbies Wine Estate has become the first vineyard and winery in the UK to achieve net zero status to the UK Carbon Code of Conduct standard (UKCCC).
The brand – stocked in retailers including Waitrose, M&S and Majestic – said it had worked with land management consultancy Triage to independently certify its net zero position and its claim to be the first UK winery to produce net zero wine.
Triage used the UKCCC framework to measure, report and verify all scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions from the wine production process, including bottling and transportation, Denbies said.
It also measured carbon sequestration from the estate’s natural capital of its vineyards, habitats and soil, the winemaker added,
The findings showed the estate – which totals 265 acres under vine in the Surrey Hills – sequestered more carbon than it emitted, leaving a carbon balance of –96 tonnes of CO2e.
The achievement reflected Denbies’ “ongoing commitment to sustainable and responsible wine production”, the winemaker said.
“As one of the founder members of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain, we are absolutely delighted that our wines are now produced with net zero impact”, said Denbies CEO Chris White. “This is another example of the UK wine industry continuing to strive for excellence in all areas of wine production.
“We committed to becoming net zero as part of a five-year plan in 2022 and are delighted to have reached that goal in under two-and-a-half years.”
Denbies’ estate includes 10 acres within the vineyard left in its natural state to foster biodiversity, while it has also invested in renewable, self-generating energy sources across its winery buildings.
It is a founding member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain, a scheme launched in 2020 to put sustainability at the heart of the UK winemaking.
The accreditation and associated trademark can only be used by WineGB members who have successfully completed a sustainability audit of their vinegrowing and winemaking within the past three years.
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