La Mare Wine Estate Environmental Charter
At La Mare Wine Estate, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint while preserving the natural beauty of our surroundings. By embedding eco-conscious practices into every aspect of our operations, we aim to ensure a lasting, positive impact on both our planet and community.
We Are Carbon Neutral
We are proud to have achieved Carbon Neutral status, measured by the certified Carbon Calculator from WineGB, as part of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) Scheme, which sets rigorous standards for sustainability across the industry. We received our first certification under this scheme, and continue to lead by example in environmental stewardship.
Community Matters
We maintain our estate within the Jersey National Park and wildlife habitats, fostering a healthy environment for both our employees and visitors.
We provide visitors with environmentally conscious experiences, including tours that highlight the estate’s conservation efforts and sustainable practices.
Sustainable Travel
Located on Liberty Bus routes 5 and 7, the estate is a short walk from the bus stop, which features level access along a green lane with a 15mph speed limit.
We favour clean vehicles which run on new energies. There are 2 electric cars in the business and only have 1 delivery van for both La Mare Wine Estate and Maison de Jersey. Fuel use is monitored monthly by our Green Team.
Sustainable Sourcing
We utilise oversized Jersey Royal Potatoes in our Jersey Royal Vodka, reducing waste and championing the use of local produce.
We highlight the estate’s own wine and cider production, emphasising organic and eco-friendly farming practices.
We are proud to be part of Genuine Jersey and promote the diversity and quality of local produce and products.
We aim to collaborate with local producers whenever possible, proudly incorporating local ingredients such as François Le Luyer’s Jersey honey, Jersey butter in our biscuits and Jersey Cream into our fudge.
Sustainable Cocoa
We source our Finest Belgian Chocolate only from Callebaut, who have been pioneering in bringing sustainable cocoa farming to a higher level together with Cocoa Horizons since 2015. What’s more: all the farms that participate in the Cocoa Horizons program focus on:
Reshaping cocoa farming by supporting cocoa farmers to upscale and keep their farms productive long term.
Empowering communities to enable a systematic and lasting change on child protection and human rights.
Regenerating ecosystems to restore the natural production system for cocoa trees to thrive.
Biodiversity
We manage the Vineyard organically as far as possible, minimising the use of harmful chemicals and using natural methods to increase soil and plant health. Our apple orchards are currently undergoing organic conversion which will be completed by 2026.
We actively manage 1.17 hectares (13% of the total farm area) for biodiversity, including hedgerows.
We preserve traditional field boundaries, hedgerows, and natural landscape features, while carefully managing other areas of the estate to enhance the positive impact of our agricultural practices.
We restore and enhance hedgerows by filling in sparse areas and replanting historic hedge lines, increasing their length and density. These strengthened hedgerows serve as natural barriers, protecting our vineyards from wind and airborne pollutants, including those drifting from neighbouring fields.
We leave wider margins around large trees and stone walls to protect roots and structure.
Species Protection
We have installed, and we maintain wildlife boxes, including bat boxes on the estate, bug hotel in wildflower areas, and bird of prey boxes managed by the Jersey Barn Owl Group and red squirrel boxes.
We control and eradicate invasive species, such as Asian hornets, in collaboration with local authorities.
From 2025 we will be participating in Jersey Government’s Pollinator Project, part of Flower Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts), a monitoring scheme that collect data on the total number of insects that visit a particular flower.
We are in the process of installing 3 bat boxes in the trees at the back of the estate to increase roosting opportunities for bats.
Sustainable Energy
We replaced existing air conditioning units with high-efficiency models to improve energy performance, aiming for a heating COP of 5 and cooling SEER of 6.
We use LED lighting throughout the property, controlled by PIR sensors and sensor selection controls to reduce unnecessary consumption. We use system called Control 4 we programme lights to turn on and off.
We are currently working in partnership with the JEC and installed a trial ground-mounted solar panel area which we are monitoring to evaluate agrivoltaics
Removed gas appliances from our catering kitchen entirely and replaced with clean electric.
Water Efficiency
We capture rainwater from the roof and store approximately 30,000 litres in underground tanks.
We installed a flow metre to measure the grey water usage every month and mains water usage every quarterly, with results discussed in monthly team meetings.
Applications include but not limited to:
All toilets
Irrigation system for the lawn
Cooling temperature for the still and the fudge table
We maintain water in underground tanks to minimise losses through evaporation.
We also use water pressure and steaming to reduce the amount of chemicals and water needed for cleaning.
We recirculate the water for cooling, allowing this water to be reused.
We have implemented additional water lines with water guns to use water more efficiently.
Waste Reducation
We implement waste reduction practices in all operations, promoting recycling and the use of eco-friendly materials wherever possible. E.g Cardboard boxes and trays are reused. In 2022 we saved approx. £20k by reusing cardboard boxes and trays for our products.
Our product design approach enables the reuse of packaging, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and innovative thinking
We partner with Les Amis’ Sustainable Social Enterprise to recycle our commercial cooking oil.
We use wildflower crops in fields during vine rotations to prevent land from being left bare.
Chemical Reduction
We limit pesticide application as required and follow best practices to minimise environmental impact.
We promote organic farming practices in our orchards and vineyards to reduce chemical use.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity
Our tours are designed to be accessible for all visitors, ensuring an inclusive experience.
We foster a diverse and inclusive environment across all aspects of the estate’s operations, promoting equality and diversity within both our workplace and community engagements.
Our estate is fully accessible for wheelchair users. The main entrance provides level access. A ramp ensures smooth entry from the main entrance to the café, and from the café to the toilets, event spaces, and distillery. The estate features step-free pathways with well-maintained grass and gravel terrain, including a step-free route to and from the car park.
We provide subtitles on our tour and tasting videos and offer QR codes on signs with translation into French and German to accommodate our diverse audience.
We provide accessible toilets and baby changing facilities.
Guide dogs are permitted throughout the estate.