ANNOUNCING THE UK’S FIRST CERTIFIED REGENERATIVE BY AGW VINEYARD

— Hebron Vineyard in Carmarthenshire is now certified by A Greener World for regenerative stewardship —

WHITLAND, CARMARTHENSHIRE — Leading farm certifier A Greener World (AGW) has announced Hebron Vineyard as the first vineyard in Wales — and the UK — to be Certified Regenerative by AGW.

As public interest in sustainability continues to increase and broaden in scope, the demand for rigorous, meaningful assurances of responsible farming and processing practices has grown. Building on its successful family of leading labels, the Certified Regenerative by AGW programme is a whole-farm assurance of regeneration and sustainability, measuring benefits for soil, water, air, biodiversity, infrastructure, animal welfare, and social responsibility — giving farmers, consumers, and buyers confidence in reliability and impact.

Nestled beneath the Preseli Hills in West Wales, Jemma Vickers and Paul Rolt established and planted Hebron Vineyard in 2010, after spending nine years converting an established vineyard into an award-winning, non intervention organic vineyard in Andalucia, Spain.

Hebron Vineyard produces high-quality Certified Regenerative by AGW natural wines of Wales, as well as offering holiday accommodation and tours, tasting and tapas events. Using regenerative viticulture and agroforestry practices, Vickers and Rolt manage the vineyard without artificial insecticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertiliser, focusing instead on working in harmony with the local ecosystem, nurturing and protecting the soil’s health.

Hebron Vineyard has the UK’s only commercial arbustrum, an innovation on the Roman art of arbusta. This means growing vines through a living willow trellis, a zero carbon footprint support that yields health benefits for the vines. All of the vines are maintained by hand from prune to training to harvest.

Certified Regenerative by AGW ensures farms are meeting initial rigorous sustainability standards, but also continually improving. Recognising every farm is a unique part of an ecosystem, the core of Certified Regenerative by AGW is a farm-specific, steward-led Regenerative Plan where producers assess risks, set goals, and track progress toward their own meaningful milestones with support from qualified experts in agronomy, biodiversity, water quality, and other fields. Plans are reviewed, approved, and then audited on an ongoing basis by A Greener World, offering farmers and consumers a third-party source of accountability for each farm’s regenerative progress.

Jemma Vickers of Hebron Vineyard says,

“At Hebron Vineyard, our goal is a natural wine of Wales with zero intervention in the vineyard and with zero intervention in the winery. Our Certified Regenerative by AGW logo means a great deal to us, both as custodians of the land and as a business. We were looking for a certification that understands that regenerative viticulture lies beyond pure organics, beyond biodynamics.

“Our wines are the result of a natural fermentation, spontaneously created by the yeasts picked up by the grapes in the vineyard. No sulphur washes, no added sugar or any of the 60 other additions that a modern wine can have in it and not to be found listed on the label. It’s about farming well and honouring the land by promoting healthy soils and biodiversity to create and enhance a lively ecosystem. Our AGW certification means that we have reached a benchmark of good regenerative practice. From here, we push onwards with our regenerative journey.”

A Greener World International Director Wayne Copp says,

“We are incredibly proud to work with Hebron Vineyard, the UK’s first Certified Regenerative by AGW vineyard. We are delighted that Jemma and Paul chose us as the logo their customers can trust to deliver genuinely positive outcomes on the farm, at the table, and for the planet. We can’t wait for more customers to taste a wine that truly reflects the fruits of their labour and their love for their land.”

“Regenerative farming has huge potential to rebuild our soils, restore and protect our waterways, and achieve fairness for both farmers and consumers. But with it comes the opportunity for misuse and abuse.

“Our role at A Greener World is simply to work with farmers and growers to develop and agree an unique Regenerative Plan for their business, and then to independently validate and certify that they really are doing what they say they are. This way, we can all ensure that regenerative is not just another gift to the marketing ‘greenwashers’.”

Certified Regenerative by AGW wine from Hebron Vineyard is available to order online via the vineyard’s website, as well as select independent wine shops. Check the AGW directory for details. For more information about Hebron Vineyard’s Certified Regenerative by AGW wines and summer tours and tasting events at the vineyard, visit hebronvineyard.com. Follow Hebron Vineyard on Facebook and Instagram. Contact Jemma Vickers and Paul Rolt at 01994 419415 and admin@hebronvineyard.com.

ABOUT A GREENER WORLD UK
A Greener World (AGW) UK identifies, audits, certifies and promotes practical, sustainable farming systems by supporting farmers and informing consumers. AGW’s growing family of trusted certifications includes Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW, Certified Non-GMO by AGW and Certified Regenerative by AGW. Each programme is designed to have positive and measurable impacts on the environment, society and animals, and to encourage truly sustainable farming practices. AGW’s standards and procedures are robust, transparent and achievable. AGW UK is part of a network of certifiers under the AGW Global umbrella. For more information, visit agreenerworld.org.uk.
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