First vineyard in England certified regenerative by AGW

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 19 November, 2025

At the 2025 Vineyard & Winery Show in Kent, Penn Croft Vineyards was announced as the first vineyard in England to receive the Certified Regenerative credential from A Greener World (AGW), a nonprofit certifer.

Penn Croft Vineyards, which is a part of Penn Croft Farms, has been regeneratively farming for over 25 years.

Most recently, in 2018, Simon Porter – founder of Penn Croft – collaborated with filmmaker and wine lover Malcolm Walker to create Itasca Wines, planting a vineyard that aimed to embody regenerative principles from its very beginning.

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Working with Frédéric Thomas – a leading French agronomist – the Penn Croft team prioritized biodiversity and the health of the soil when designing the vineyard, using techniques including vine spacing (to allow cover crops between rows), Scott Hentry trellising to optimise yield, and hand planting to avoid disturbing the soil.

Additionally, sheep are allowed to graze in rotation in the vineyard, while wildflowers are premitted, in order to support pollinators. Alongside this, biodiversity corridors and “scruffy is good” management are used to improve habitats for wildlife.

The winery itself is powered by solar energy, using energy-saving lighting and insulation measures, while featuring England’s first winery-scale wetland system to treat its wastewater.

Simon Porter explained: “From the moment we planted these vines I knew our vineyard had to be a mirror of the regenerative work we’ve done on the arable side of the farm.

“Healthy soils, diverse cover-crops, minimal disruption – when you work with nature the vines thrive and the wines carry that vitality. Being Certified Regenerative by A Greener World means we’re not just saying it – we’re proving it.”

Wayne Copp, executive director international at AGW added: “Our certification provides a rigorous yet practical path to meaningful impact at scale.

“When consumers see the Certified Regenerative by AGW label connected with Penn Croft Vineyards, they can be confident they are choosing a wine that truly stands out – in quality and positive social and environmental impact.

“We are delighted to welcome Penn Croft Vineyards as the first Certified Regenerative by AGW vineyard in England.”

AGW identifies, audits and certifies sustainable farming systems. Certified Regenerative by AGW is one of many such certifications, helping producers to demonstrate their commitment to the environment and their local community.

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