Sustainable Choice Case

An excellent New Zealand sauvignon with vibrant peach fruit and appealing grassy aromas. Pioneers in Marlborough's Wairau Valley, Grove Mill make every effort to minimise their environmental impact. They nurture wetlands near the winery and encourage diversity of flora and fauna. Lightweight glass bottles are used and labels are made from renewable sugarcane. Winery energy use is heavily dependent on more than 300 solar panels. The grapes are harvested from vineyards immediately surrounding the winery, meaning less transport to the presses.

A yin and yang Chilean blend. Ripe and fleshy carmenère is balanced by the freshness and grip of carignan. Cauquenes is in the warm Maule region and ideal for maturing these two varieties. Undurraga is a silver member of International Wineries for Climate Action, and since 2016 has been a certified signatory of the Wines of Chile Sustainability Code. Unsurprisingly, they have an impressive record across a range of sustainability issues, with solar panels installed widely, a waste management programme that recycles many tonnes of waste, minimising the use of chemical inputs, and drip irrigating to save water and have joined a program that supports responsible labour management across their entire supply chain.

An exclusive blend for The Wine Society sourced exclusively from older Swartland vines that can handle the warm, dry conditions of this in vogue region. Offering great richness and complexity for the price this is brimming with herbs and spice notes complementing the crunchy bramble and redcurrant fruit. Bottled in the UK to provide even greater freshness and value. Riebeek Valley Wine Co. shares the ideals of the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), a South African initiative aiming to reduce the use of chemicals and improve waste management across the country’s wine industry. They’re members of WWF’s Biodiversity in Wine Initiative (BWI), highlighting their commitment to protecting the native ‘renosterbos’ shrub and adopting better farming practices for a healthier ecosystem. Their Wine & Agriculture Ethical Trade Association accreditation shows their commitment to ethical trade, fair labour policies and top-level occupational health and safety compliance, and they run an empowerment project for their farm and cellar workers, who are shareholders in the vineyards.

Made for The Wine Society by Yalumba. The nose is juicy, generous and bright with blackcurrant notes. The palate is full-bodied and fresh, with black and red-fruit character and great structure. Lovely on its own or with rich beef or lentil dishes. Yalumba’s environmental credentials are impeccable. They are 100% accredited by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and a Silver Member of International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA). They harvest solar energy at their winery, the largest in Australia at the time it was installed in 2016. as well as being partners of the United Nations Race to Zero program to connect likeminded businesses around the globe, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.

Made exclusively for us by Yalumba, this is a modern Australian chardonnay at a very good-value price. Crisp, citrus-led and light on the palate, it makes for enjoyable, unpretentious refreshment. Yalumba’s environmental credentials are impeccable. They are 100% accredited by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and a Silver Member of International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA). They harvest solar energy at their winery, the largest in Australia at the time it was installed in 2016. as well as being partners of the United Nations Race to Zero program to connect likeminded businesses around the globe, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.

Impressive but easy-drinking oaked chardonnay from warm Swartland vineyards in South Africa, light enough to drink on its own but with enough body for the table. Ripe melon and peach meld with a touch of sourdough and spice.