I’ve found six more great wine brands doing amazing things for the environment and for people! Below are a few more wines for you to support who are doing their part in changing the world into a better place.
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Here are 6 wines that give back
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc
Villa Maria strongly supports biodiversity, saving the bees and reducing their carbon footprint. Villa Maria and Countdown have teamed up to encourage more Kiwi’s to plant wildflower seeds in their gardens and are highlighting the importance of bees to Aotearoa’s unique biodiversity. As a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand way back in the mid-1990s. This family-owned winery is continuously trialing ways to reduce its impact on the environment. This means sustainability starts in the vineyard and biodiversity is a very important part of it! Sustainability begins in the vineyards and continues in every aspect of the winemaking process. They have planted over 700kg of wildflowers in their surrounding vineyards every year to attract beneficial insects to encourage biodiversity. Not only that, but food waste from their Auckland and Hawkes Bay facilities goes to worm farms based on site, which helps to produce fertilizer for the vineyards. Grape skins leftover from our winemaking process in Hawkes Bay are turned into compost and used on our vineyards. With their biggest waste streams effectively recycled or returned to the soil to nourish it!
Villa Maria has also reduced their carbon emissions by 36 per cent per bottle of wine in the last 10 years and they have a goal to reach a 50 per cent reduction in five years’ time. Other initiatives such as trialing native grass plantings in the vineyard to manage weeds, switching to renewable energy such as electric forklifts in the warehouse, and investigating alternatives to treated wooden posts in the vineyard show Villa Maria remains one of the pioneers in this space so you can sip and savour knowing they are committed to changing the world for the better.
Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon
Shingleback is run by the Davey brothers and Red Knot wines are modern and fresh made with a minimalist approach. Red Knot Wines are full-bodied, delicious & they are also vegan.
Shingleback is a proud winery part of Australia’s McLaren Vale Biodiversity Project. Together with the community, the government and the industry, Shingleback has developed an ongoing sustainability and biodiversity plan for the Davey Estate Vineyard in Whites Valley, McLaren Vale. Part of this plan involved holding two full Planting Days where a 4Ha area around the creek-line was planted with a range of beneficial, insect-attractive, native plants. Over 200 wonderful volunteers, who included friends, family and community lovers, donated their time to help plant 24 endemic species around the creek line to aid in the biodiversity extension of the property. The plants were carefully selected to provide benefits to the vineyard by specifically attracting beneficial insects and native birds, improve water quality and restore some of McLaren Vale’s biodiversity. This biodiversity project won the McLaren Vale Regional Business Awards in both 2016 and 2018 and was a Finalist & State Winner in the 2019 “Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare”. The Bio Project represents Shingleback’s ongoing commitment to undertaking native revegetation within their vineyards and commitment to producing outstanding wines from the 120ha land they love planted predominantly with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon!
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Josh Cellars was founded in 2005 by vintner Joseph Carr in honor of his father, aptly named – Josh. Raised by hard-working and modest parents Joseph started working as a wine steward, and spent a decade serving as a world-class sommelier and another decade as a wine industry executive. After all of his years he changed his path and started his own wine company, making wines from California. Today, Joseph makes award-winning wines backed with a strong philosophy around giving back to various charities like National Volunteer Fire Council, restaurant Workers community Foundation, California Fire Foundation, and Trees for Troops. To learn about how Josh Cellars Gives Back visit the website here.
St. Supéry Estate Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019
The St. Super single vineyard Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is now available at the LCBO via Vintages Shop online and has very limited quantities. St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery single vineyard Napa Valley single vineyard 2019 Sauvignon Blanc is what you’re looking for! Richly dense and aromatic – everything a white wine lover craves is in this delicious bottle of Napa Valley wine.
Why is it also unique? 16% is fermented in new French oak barrels and it is also aged ‘sur lie’ meaning the wine spends time on it’s yeast cells to add complexity, texture and a depth. St. Supéry Vineyards and Winery is 100% Napa Green Certified! From Soil to Bottle, to the winery and to the land! So you can sip with confidence. To buy this wine and many other rare Napa Valley wines click here
Château des Charmes Aligoté VQA
Aligoté is a rare grape variety that is known to be grown in the Burgundy region of France (alongside Pinot Noir & Chardonnay). With a crisp, refreshing and delicious taste profile this wine is perfect for any lover of Pinot Grigio or Sauvigon Blanc. There is no oak and it is one of my favourite unique wines made in Ontario.
In memory of Michèle Bosc (one of my mentors, friends and a wine industry trailblazer) , $1 from the sale of each bottle of Cuvée Michèle Aligoté at the winery or online will be donated to the Camp Kerry Society which specializes in providing bereavement programs and support to individuals and families impacted by serious illness, grief and loss.
Dom Perignon X Lady Gaga
I didn’t I think I could love Dom Perignon any more, but this collaboration is a cool one. I bought a bottle last week for myself and am excited for it to arrive. Feel free to buy yourself a bottle online or buy it for a great gift for someone!
There is also a great way for you to win the most exclusive limited-edition sculpture of them all: the N° 1 in the numbered series, hand-signed by Lady Gaga.The sweepstakes will run from October 5thhe until November 13the when a winner will be drawn on the International Kindness Day and you must make a donation to be entered to win (I made a $100 donation) the charitable lottery in support of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation is now live and you can make your own donation to be entered to win.! Participation is open globally and Dom Pérignon will donate all funds raised to Born This Way Foundation.