How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Although the estate is known for its viniculture much of the estate land has been left either as agricultural land or in its natural minimally managed state. Across the estate our environmental practices encourage a wide diversity of flora and fauna that would have been under-threat with more intense agricultural use. We understand the importance of biodiversity and ensure that our estate management plans encourage its protection and development.
One example of where we have reduced the environmental impact of our operation was the phasing out of oil-fuelled 'frost-pots', these burners were lit when temperatures in the vines were predicted to drop below freezing point, thus damaging the crop and potentially the vines. Although spectacular when lit across the vineyard were environmentally and financially unsustainable. We have replaced this system with special frost detectors which text our estate management when the temperature drops critically low, we then use special mobile heat-blowing machines that use less energy and can be targeted only the at risk areas.
We encourage sustainable transport. Denbies is only a ten minute walk from Dorking Mainline and Dorking West Stations, plus there is a large taxi rank at the mainline station. We encourage guests to use transport other than the car. We have storage for cycles and have stables here on the estate. Dorking town centre is an easy fifteen minute walk away through the vines and has all the key facilities available for visitors. We have hire bikes at the Farmhouse for our guests.
Community
We are in the unique position through having so many visitors to the estate to be able to support our community in numerous ways.
We provide the home for Surrey's performing arts library, based in our main building. Used by the public and numerous drama societies across the county this repository of books, scripts, music scores helps underpin the cultural vibrancy of Surrey. We have recently given a new home to the Surrey Hills Brewery one of the new generation of micro-breweries that are demonstrating that this a future for local beers.
Our kitchen garden farm shop stocks a wide variety of locally sourced produce, meat products, diary and preserves. We actively encourage a local supply chain and provide a 'shop-window' for many small producers. Our restaurants regularly feature locally sourced ingredients and all the wine we serve comes from the estate itself, you can't get more local than that!
We believe strongly in developing the people that help contribute to our success. We have over a hundred staff on the estate and are committed to training them, most recently using the 'Welcome Host' programme. Many of our staff have been with us since the beginning of the wine estate, we often employ generations within one family. The estate is still owned and managed by the White family. Many of the White family live on the estate.
The estate and White family are known locally for their philanthropic approach to business. Concentrating on mainly local charities and good causes, Denbies is acknowledged as not only being a successful operation but one that genuinely cares and supports the community it is part of.
With the main building the second floor mezzanine area has been fitted out as an art gallery. On show to all our visitors, this area has become a pivotal showcase opportunity for local artists across Surrey. Virtually every week of the year a local art exhibition can be found in the gallery, truly demonstrating that local decor is definitely en vogue!
Landscape
The Denbies estate has over 600 acres in the stewardship of the White family, this special landscape made up of a vineyard, woodland, agricultural land and wilderness is a unique place, the majority of which is open to the public. With over seven miles of public footpaths, a National Trail passing through the land and hundreds of thousands of visitors coming to the estate every year, we put the landscape and our relationship with it in the spotlight every day of the year. Our commitment to quality has put Denbies wine on the international map, this has in turn put Dorking and the Surrey Hills AONB on the same map.
