That’s right — We’re getting some fair trade alcohol here in puritan America!
Melania and Taborga Chilean wines, specifically. These’re are produced by Vina Lomas de Cauquenes, one of 2 Chilean fair trade wineries.
You can get the wines through C&C Imports, the US importer, founded in January 2005 in Florida.
Its website says: “Look for us beginning next week at Wild Oats Markets in Florida and then in your area by the end of the summer.”
I’ll go on a lil fair trade wine shopping trip early September :)
Don’t be fooled by fair trade wine the french economy is not that bad :)
Comment by simon — July 13, 2006 @ 1:14 pm
As with some other crops, like tea, Fair Trade wine may come from either small-farmer organizations or from large estates. As best as I can tell these are estate wines, as are - I think - all the Fair Trade Certified South African wines.
As some folks out there know I’m a “co-op person” so I’ll just reinforce that notion & point out that vinophiles can also find many good-to-great co-op wines, especially from Italy, which has a very strong co-op economy. I think you can also find some from France & Spain. However, beyond their co-op structure (no minor matter) I cannot attest to their labor practices, etc.
Comment by Rodney North — July 14, 2006 @ 3:16 am
acctually how can you square buying fair trade wine from sounth africa with reducing food miles considering you could buy wine locally in california?
Comment by simon — July 15, 2006 @ 1:43 pm
Most of my wine will still be Californian — but on the occasions I buy South African wine, it’ll be fair trade. With the amount of wine I drink, it isn’t exactly an either or situation…
Comment by Siel — July 15, 2006 @ 6:02 pm