Sustainability

The more we care for the land, the better our wines are and the more we respect our roots

At Bodegas Robles, sustainability is not just a practice, it is a philosophy that has evolved throughout our history to become central to our operations and decisions.

We are committed to doing our part to ensure a responsible future for generations to come. We are proud of our heritage and work every day to deliver exceptional wines, crafted with responsibility, promoting ethical and environmentally friendly business practices.

In the late 1990s, we embraced organic viticulture and the use of indigenous yeasts. This respectful approach to the natural cycle of the vine allowed us to capture the authenticity of our terroir in each wine and made us pioneers in Andalusia by producing the region’s first organic wine under a Denomination of Origin.

We promote biodiversity by planting cover cropos of indigenous short-rooted, nitrogen-fixing wild species such as trebolinas, poppies and leguminous plants in the vineyards.

These cover crops naturally provide nutrients to the vines, attract beneficial insects that help control pests, and protect the soil against erosion, improving its structure and water retention capacity. They also provide a habitat for a variety of organisms, from soil micro-organisms to insects and small animals, contributing to a balanced and healthy ecosystem. As they decompose, they add organic matter to the soil, improving its fertility. In the long term, they significantly increase CO2 fixation, which results in an increase in soil organic carbon levels and a reduction of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.

Cover crops are the first line of defence against climate change. Most vineyards are rainfed and the loss of soil and organic carbon is the biggest environmental problem.

In short, soil fertility cannot be bought, we build it every year.

In 2009 we became the first Spanish winery to certify our carbon footprint and to take on the commitment to reduce it every year, with the help of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and CO2 Consulting.

At Bodegas Robles, innovation is born from the reinterpretation of our heritage in the light of current knowledge. That is why we invest in research and development, collaborating with universities and research centres to find environmentally friendly solutions that are true to our roots.

Our commitment drives us to constantly explore new ways to reduce our environmental impact, from the efficient management of water resources to the development of sustainable packaging.

In 2014, we brought to life ‘the wine bottle’, a project that reclaims the tradition of refillable bottles in local shops. With this initiative, we not only promote more sustainable packaging, but we also fulfil our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint: every time we refill a bottle we avoid the emission of 500 g of CO2 into the atmosphere, according to measurements by CO2 Consulting.

At Bodegas Robles, innovation is a return to the essential, a reunion with the wisdom of our ancestors and a constant commitment to excellence.

In our commitment to sustainable facilities, in 2018 we were the first winery in the region to implement a self-consumption photovoltaic installation, allowing us to generate approximately 83% of the energy we consume. This avoids the emission of 10,100 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere per year, equivalent to the annual planting of 504.7 new trees.

Reflecting our ongoing commitment, in 2022 we made a second investment in a photovoltaic plant that allows us to cover almost all of our energy needs (98.73%), further reducing our carbon footprint by 16,770 kilograms of CO2 per year, equivalent to planting 838 trees annually.

We remain strongly committed to reducing our environmental impact and leading the way towards a more sustainable future in the wine industry.

The circular economy is one of the pillars of Bodegas Robles. We implement reduction, reuse and recycling practices at all stages of production, minimising waste and maximising the use of resources.

From the recycling of waste and by-products from the wine industry to the use of biomass as a source of renewable energy and the integrated management of water resources through the creation of artificial wetlands, every aspect of our operations is designed to be as sustainable as possible.

In 2013, in collaboration with various research centres, we developed vinegars, jellies, jams and reductions that faithfully reflect the wine from which they come, transforming by-products into products of high gastronomic value.

As a family winery with almost 100 years of history, we know that the vitality of our project is closely linked to the well-being of our environment and our community.

That is why we are committed to doing our part to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. In 2023, we initiated a certification process of our sustainability progress in collaboration with the COPADE Foundation and Selezziona Consultancy. This process allows us to work with internationally recognised experts to develop a comprehensive strategy to align our practices and operations with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations.

In doing so, we have assessed 111 themes that reflect our activities and their impact on our environment, and categorised them into five key areas: people, communities, value chain, environment and governance.

As we move forward on this journey, we will keep customers, employees and the wider community informed of our progress and achievements in this process.

At Bodegas Robles, sustainability is not only a responsibility but also a source of inspiration and innovation. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our practices, to work in harmony with nature and the community, and to create exceptional wines that reflect the personality of a land and a way of life.