In a restaurant the other day, I heard someone ask what reds were available by the glass. The stock answer came back from the helpful waitress. “Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz…”
When are we going to move away from the ‘International’ varieties and recognise that at the lower levels there is far more value to be found with indigenous varieties. Notwithstanding the sustainable element. Planting varieties in an area where they have no history generally means they struggle with one or more of the elements. Drought is the most obvious.
We are all more ‘sustainably’ aware. But what does that mean? Dig deeper and you may find that your understanding and associated buying pattern is far from sustainable. Cast your eyes over these questions and see how you do:
- Would you pick an organic wine over one with a recognised sustainable certification such as the French HVE?
- Are you happier selecting wines with names you recognise, or do you experiment regularly?
- Do you regularly buy wines under 15 euro retail?
- Does the weight of a bottle come into consideration when you buy a wine?
- Would you discount a Grenache / Garnacha/ Shiraz if it had over 14% alcohol?
Mainly yes’ ? Don’t feel bad, most wine drinkers will be in this category. What we don’t realise is that sustainability doesn’t just apply to the vineyards. Actions in the winery, packaging and consumer buying habits all form part of the chain. Let’s look at the questions.