Old vineyards are all too often abandoned or grubbed up due to low yields and the difficulties faced in maintaining them. In certain corners of the world, those who dare to look past the disarray are not only reaping the benefits with regards to wine quality but are also playing an important role in safeguarding biodiversity.
Great wine and a better planet are a succinct summary of what González Byass are all about, so last year we launched ‘The González Byass Vineyard Angel Project’. We are a company that believes in action, so our first mission was diving straight in to revive a 74 year old vineyard owned by the Madrigal de las Altas Torres town council (Ávil), in the D.O. Rueda.
Our current project involves the restoration of two Xarel.lo and Macabeo vineyards in Espiells, located in the Alto Penédes area. These 40 and 50 year old vineyards have been the pride and joy of many generations of one family, and we are proud that they have a close association with our Vilarnau winery. The plots will be both monitored and maintained by the González Byass viticultural team in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Madrid’s Viticulture Research Group.
At González Byass we are future focused. We continue to analyse how our role in the today can make a positive difference tomorrow, which is why this has been launched as a long-term initiative. We see it as part of our DNA to champion Spain’s oldest vineyards, from rescue and restoration through to ongoing maintenance. Each year we will add more unique Spanish vineyards to the scheme, and we look forward sharing the fruits of our labour with the world in what will undoubtedly be a growing portfolio of exceptional wines.
Part of the González Byass 5+5 Caring for the Planet is sustainable development goal no. 15: Life on the Land. This goal advocates protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable ecosystems, forest management, reversing land degradation and halting biodiversity loss.
We will get some fantastic wines out of it too and believe this will be nothing short of a huge achievement for González Byass and our future generations.
For further information about sustainability initiatives at González Byass visit https://gonzalezbyass.com/en-gb/sustainability
