Philippe Guigal (pictured) is tying things up before escaping for his summer holiday. “Somebody said yesterday that I looked tired,” he says, “but I had tasted maybe 180 wines.” Among those, the Rhône producer assessed 35-40 samples – as every day of the year – for inclusion in his company E. Guigal’s basic red Côtes du Rhône blend.
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Marcos Carol looks proud as he describes the changes in the village of Tilimuqui, north west Argentina, since his La Riojana wine co-operative became Fairtrade certified in 2006. The Fairtrade premium has helped fund a new running water system, a health centre, a new secondary school and 50 scholarships for the children of growers. It’s just one example of wine industry efforts to address ‘social sustainability’ – its ethical responsibility to the people who work in it and buy its products. And at a moment when concerns around the environmental impact of wine already have a high profile, social sustainability is fast moving up the agenda.
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