Articles

Beneath our feet lies a complex underworld kingdom. Soil is the foundation that allows viticulture to be possible and fungi keep this network alive. Aliya Whiteley’s potted history of fungi in vineyards, as published in RVF founding supporters Berry Bros and Rudd’s No.3 magazine page 16-17

We dish the dirt on dirt, in particular soil health and how mycorrhizal fungi can improve drought resistance

This crowd-sourced global database of living historic vineyard sites has been set up to increase awareness of old vines. From a regenerative viewpoint, old vines are great as they are so much more resilient and don’t need irrigation.

One of our founding supporters on their commitment to nature-beneficial practices and their support for the RVF. Having been around for 325 years, they are used to taking a long-term view

The University of Wales Trinity St. David’s in Lampeter has been working on the establishment of an Academy of Food, based on the Lampeter campus, for over 12 months. The focus of the potential facility will be to create a hub for sustainable food production in the area; combining spaces for artisanal producers and a […]

This conference from our friends at the Regenerative Viticulture Association brought us a really deep dive into what’s happening underneath your feet in your vineyard. If you want to know how the vines get their nutrients from the soil without chemical fertilisers, watch the video of the conference. Jeff Lowenfels (2hr10min into the video) is […]

Under-vine weed management treatments compared: The researchers found that the mulches increased grape yields and reduced maximum soil temperatures. A 15cm mulch is an expensive input, but may reduce tractor passes in seasonal floor management and water usage due to reduced evaporation.

If you are on our mailing list, look in your inbox for our May newsletter. It’s full of forthcoming events and news. We have a new Programme Director, two new Founding Supporters and links to resources on bees, wildflowers and under-vine mulches. For something for you ears, don’t miss the podcast on soil health indicators. […]

Tom Croghan of Dodon Vineyard explains how they use the tools of agroecology to regenerate the soil: limiting tillage, applying organic amendments, incorporating indigenous microorganisms from the surround forest and using grazing animals. They have discarded the either/or mentality to find values-driven, integrated solutions that benefit the environment, the community and their company. An excellent […]

Wendy Outhwaite of Ambriel Vineyard in West Sussex reports on her experiences of using the Ouessant – a hardy dwarf sheep from Brittany – in her vineyards. We’ve been winter-grazing sheep in the vineyard for about a decade. Here’s what we discovered. Breed As our vineyard in West Sussex has stunning views over the South […]

Veteran Forbes journalist Louise Schiavone responds to the the 2022 World Soil report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization with its clear warning that we need to focus on building soil organic carbon stocks by switching to regenerative farming practices, and the importance of bringing these practices into the wine world.

Alistair Nesbitt reviews a recent paper studying the effects of growing cover crops and avoiding tilling on a range of different soil types to determine the effect on carbon storage in the soil