One of the unexpected things I've noticed since launching The Wine Society's Climate & Nature Programme is how few of the projects are actually about vines.
That might sound strange. After all, we're funding wine producers. Surely the focus should be about grape varieties and winemaking techniques? Instead, I've largely found myself talking to farmers about ducks, chickens, sheep, hedgerows, fruit trees, wildflowers, bats and compost heaps.
At first glance, these things seem unrelated. But the more applications we've received, the more I've come to believe they are all part of the same story: the return of the mixed farm.
The vineyard that forgot it was a farm
For much of the last century, farming became increasingly specialised. Vineyards became places for vines. Orchards became places for fruit. Livestock were moved elsewhere. Hedgerows were removed to make room for machinery or squeezing out maximum yields. Wild corners were tidied away, replaced by neat vine rows and walkways.
The approach made sense at the time. Specialisation often improved efficiency and productivity. But it also simplified many farming landscapes. Fast forward and a growing number of wine producers are now quietly moving in the opposite direction. Not because they're nostalgic, and certainly not because they want to turn back the clock, but because they increasingly believe that a healthy vineyard depends on much more than healthy vines. It depends on fertile soils, healthy ecosystems and a greater diversity of life.
Looking across the projects we've supported, that idea appears again and again.
Why are the trees coming back?
One of the clearest trends is the return of trees.
In Bordeaux, Château de la Grave has been planting fruit trees, olive trees and truffle oaks as part of a wider effort to diversify the farm. Meanwhile, growers such as Château Thieuley, Brocha Vineyards (Iona Wines) and Château Monconseil-Gazin have invested heavily in hedgerows, creating shelter, food and habitats for wildlife while also helping to protect soils and vineyards.
Some producers are going even further. At Scacciadiavoli in Italy, they're reviving an ancient growing system known as vite maritata or ‘married vines’, where grapevines are trained to climb living trees – each benefitting from the other. It is a practice that largely disappeared as agriculture modernised, but one the team believes could still offer valuable lessons today.
The return of animals to the vineyard
Trees aren't the only things making a comeback. Animals are returning too.
One of my favourite projects comes from Rustenberg in South Africa, where Indian Runner Ducks are being introduced into the vineyard to help tackle snails and mealybugs. Instead of relying solely on synthetic sprays, the ducks patrol the vineyard rows, eating pests while simultaneously contributing natural fertiliser to the soil. It's difficult not to smile at the image, but behind it sits a serious question: can we really go back to nature doing the work that many farmers now rely on chemicals to do?
In Western Australia, South by South West are exploring a similar idea using chickens. Their mobile chicken trailer will allow birds to move through vineyard blocks, feeding on weevils, helping control weeds and adding fertility to the soil as they go. What sounds like a wonderfully eccentric idea actually reflects a much broader movement within farming: finding ways to work with natural systems rather than constantly trying to overpower them.
More life, fewer inputs – increasing diversity
What's particularly interesting is that these projects are not all trying to solve the same problem. Some are focused on reducing pesticide use. Others want to improve soil health, increase water retention or provide habitats for wildlife. Some hope to reduce reliance on fertilisers. Others are practical experiments designed simply to test an idea and learn what works.
Yet they are all adding something similar back into the landscape: diversity.
Many growers have come to believe that a more diverse farm is often a more resilient farm. Cover crops protect and feed the soil. Trees and hedgerows create habitat for natural predators like birds, bats and beneficial insects to help control pests. Compost returns nutrients to the land. Different plants perform different functions and together help create a healthier whole.
One of my favourite depictions came from Silvano Bolmida in Piedmont, who sees a vineyard not as a collection of vines but as a complex ecosystem made up of many different species working together. Looking across the projects we've funded, I think that's exactly what many of these growers are trying to build.
Not a step backwards
It would be easy to see all of this as a return to the old ways, but I don't think that's quite right.
The farmers involved in these projects are not rejecting modern farming. Many are using sophisticated monitoring equipment, scientific research, drones and other new technologies to understand what works and what doesn't. Some of the projects we support are highly structured trials designed to generate evidence that can be shared with the wider wine community.
What we're seeing isn't a rejection of modern knowledge. It's more of a blending of old and new. Farmers are taking the best of modern science while rediscovering some of the principles that shaped farming landscapes for centuries. The concept of respecting ancient practices while embracing new technological solutions is explored in Tamlyn Currin’s article – Wizards & Prophets.
What does this mean for wine?
Ultimately, these projects are not really about ducks, hedgerows or fruit trees.
They're about helping our grape farmers adapt to a world that is becoming increasingly difficult to farm in. They're about healthier soils, more resilient vineyards and profitable farming businesses that can continue making great wine for generations to come.
Whether it's ducks patrolling vineyards in South Africa, chickens chasing weevils in Australia, fruit trees being planted in Bordeaux or ancient vine-growing systems being revived in Italy, the underlying idea is remarkably similar. These farmers are trying to create farms that are richer, more diverse, more alive and more resilient.
After spending the last few years reading applications and following projects from around the world, I've found that to be a genuinely hopeful thought. The future of wine may well involve more technology, more innovation and more scientific understanding. But it may also involve something else: vineyards that look a little more like farms again. And as someone who grew up on a farm, surely that can only be a good thing.
