Denbies Wine Estate has become the first UK vineyard and winery to achieve net zero status under the UK Carbon Code of Conduct (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 wines' net zero value and claim to be the first winery in the UK to produce net zero wines.
Denbis said the screening used the UKCCC framework to measure, report and verify all Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions from the wine production process, including packaging and transport.
The winemaker added that he also measured carbon sequestration of the estate's natural capital from vineyards, habitats and soil.
The results showed that the property – totaling 265 acres under vines in the Surrey Hills – sequestered more carbon than it emitted, leaving a carbon credit of -96 tons of CO2.
The winemaker said the achievement reflects Denbis's “continued commitment to sustainable and responsible wine production”.
Chris White, CEO of Denbies, said: “As a founding member of Sustainable Wine Great Britain, we are absolutely delighted that our wines can now be produced zero impact.” “This is another example of how the UK wine industry continues to strive for excellence in all areas of wine production.
“We have committed to reaching net zero as part of a five-year plan in 2022 and we are pleased to have reached this target in less than two and a half years.”
The Denbies estate includes 10 acres within the vineyard that have been left in their natural state to promote biodiversity, while they have also invested in renewable and self-generated energy sources across their winery buildings.
It is a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain programme, a scheme launched in 2020 to put sustainability at the heart of the UK wine industry.
The accreditation and associated branding can only be used by WineGB members who have successfully completed a sustainability audit for viticulture and winemaking within the last three years.
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