The following article in centred around wine and alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly, for further information please visit drinkaware.co.uk.
Wine. Red, Rosé, White or Prosecco , it’s most definitely a favourite choice of tipple come a Saturday night for most of us. From the light and crispy rosés that remind you of a summers day, to the more heavy reds which can make you feel your most sophisticated self. Wine is really is the alcohol of all alcohols.
But, when purchasing your choice of wine, have you ever stopped to consider how ethical it is? How sustainable the practices have been to turn grape to liquid? There is a lot to consider, but the main indication to look out for when ensuring the wine is ethical is the practices undertaken by the company to create it. Are the grapes been grown and harvested organically? (By removing the use of pesticides, biodiversity is not being affected). Is the wine vegan? What are the vineyards doing to ensure no waste is created?
There is lots to look out for, below I have listed a handful of Sustainable wines on the market that follow these sustainable practices. Ranging from small businesses to Sainsbury’s themselves having their own organic range, which I have taken the incredibly difficult task of trying a bottle, to see what I think of it! (what a great excuse for a drink!)
So Organic Fairtrade Shiraz by Sainsburys
Taste 4/5 rating | Value for Money 5/5 | Percentage: 14% | £5.75
How Ethical? The Shiraz’s environmental benefits: “Grapes grown without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, so allowing the natural biodiversity of the vineyards to thrive“. The Shiraz is Vegan, Sulphur Free in Fully Recyclable Packaging.
“Sustainable wines aim to have a winemaking process that protects the environment, supports social responsibility, maintains economic feasibility, and produces high quality wines. As grapes are grown, harvested, and made into wine, a multitude of environmental factors are prioritised.” – kj.com
Other Ethical Wine on the Market…
1. Castellore Organic Pinot Grigio by Aldi
Percentage: 12% | Price: £5.99
How Ethical? The Castellore Organic Pinot Grigio is produced with “strict sustainability principles using organic methods” with the grapes being grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides and is vegetarian.
2. Pino Grigio Rose by Sea Change Wines
Percentage: 12% | Price £11.49 – £36.99
How Ethical? The wines by Sea Change have Sustainability at their heart with wines selected from high-quality vineyards. They are Ocean Friendly, completely Plastic-Free, Vegan as well as donating to selected Marine Charities with every 75cl bottle sold.
3. Rouxvale Sparkling Rose by Wanderlust Wines
Percentage: 12.5% Price: £13.00
How Ethical? The Rouxvale Sparkling Rosé is Vegan-friendly, created from grapes which have been organically farmed, organic certified and in fully recyclable packaging.
A useful article I read recently which goes in depth on ethical wine-making was a piece by Well+Good; worth a read to learn more on the topic. The world of environmentally-friendly wines is one I am all for and can only hope more wine brands choose more planet-conscious methods to create their products. So, cheers to that everyone!
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