The Ethics Game - an even playing field?

So what makes an ethical wine? Consumers have always made decisions between convenience, cost and quality. Nowadays additional decisions based upon environmental and human impact also have to be made. When buying wine, an Organic, Fairtrade or Carbon Neutral label implies that an ethical purchase is being made. Have these seemingly helpful simplifications impaired our ability to think about the bigger picture?

In terms of ethical wine drinking, there needs to be a debate that takes in to account all adverse effects on the planet: overuse of harmful chemicals, the pollution caused by the manufacture and transportation of wine as well as the effect the wine trade has on its workers and consumers.

Routine use of harmful chemicals coupled with damaging transportation costs are well-known. When rightly concerned about the environment, which issue should be the primary focus? From a consumer perspective, which should be chosen? An Organic Carmenère travelling from Chile or a non-organic Rioja travelling from Spain? Freight miles or chemical control, which is more destructive?

It is immoral for a consumer to intentionally choose an ethical wine, only to inadvertently damage the environment, yet with no worldwide ethical standard to measure up to; consumers are still left unintentionally in the dark.

Organics – is the grass always greener?

A gap in the Organic argument is that the laws that certify an Organic wine only affect the grape-growing process. Organic practices do not have to be followed once the grapes are in the winery.

There is room to manoeuvre; minimal additives such as yeast, malolactic bacteria and sulphur are regularly added to organic grapes to create a stable and harmonious product. Beyond this, the creation of an organic wine can range from back-garden accidental winemaking to a mass-market factory-clean process. Is this breadth of process clearly understood by the consumer?

We all appreciate that wine regions around the world have unique climates. A purist would claim that organic practices are possible anywhere and everywhere. However many winemakers hold the staunch opinion that it is impossible and impractical to grow organically every year: to them, the purist proposal smacks of naivety. Even the most diligent organic winemakers testify to losing whole crops in a matter of days. In the search of a truly ethical wine, is Organic viticulture an unachievable goal?

The expectation of an Organic stamp represents a general principle of environmental concern. Eco-friendly closures and minimal chemical intervention are the least we should expect from for a winery that aggressively promotes itself as ethical. Are organic winemakers duping and wilfully deceiving their loyal customers or simply not providing them with the full story? Both are unacceptable but one hopes the latter is true.

How fair is Fairtrade?

With world wealth shifting and Europe in the midst of a crippling recession, should our values change on where we should spend our money? As a nation we have historically taken pride in supporting poor farmers abroad, and the thriving Fairtrade brand is a testament to this. With winemakers struggling across Europe, should we not pledge some allegiance to our closest neighbours? Fair wages are fair wages, and with E.U. law as strict as it is, European wine is surely entitled to some form of fair trade recognition.

Wine is a global product and so it is prudent to think about its impact globally. It is easy to have an “us and them” mindset with regard to fair trade and fair pay, but the reality is that there is no “us and them” any more, there is simply fair and unfair. To select only wines from developing countries in the name of ethics is a fool’s paradise, the carbon emissions arising from transportation should alone be enough to stop and take note. This is certainly not a two-fingered salute to developing countries; it just raises awareness that a Fairtrade badge may compromise other ethical issues.

Carbon Neutral or Carbon Copy?

Carbon neutrality is one of the new, cool and trendy ways to be environmentally friendly. It boasts an eye-catching logo and has become the final cherry on top of the cake for those looking for an ethical wine. The theory goes that CO2 emissions created in the business are offset: this is usually done by the planting of trees or the conservation of mature woodland. It certainly gives the impression that everyone is a winner.

The virtuous image of the Carbon Neutral Program leaves itself open to broad interpretation. Producers may offset their carbon emissions but may choose not to divulge their use of chemicals. Has the Carbon Neutral Program simply jumped upon the bandwagon of Fairtrade and Organics in the hope of replicating their success in the marketplace?

The predicament is the impression the logo holds: consumers often mistakenly believe that a carbon-neutral wine is completely eco-friendly but, in effect, there is no requirement to conform to any other environmental standards.

Now, in 2011, rumours are circulating of carbon neutral certified wineries in New Zealand using helicopters to push hot air down into their vines. Planting more trees simply does not justify wasteful and irresponsible behaviour.

Faux eco-friendly marketing is an ugly way to sell wine, consumers should be able to have absolute confidence that any winery sporting an environmental credential must act in a way that always cares for the environment, in all aspects of its business.

Is it a question too complicated to answer?

It is clear that each ethical directive can only be taken upon its own merits. Unfortunately, the quick fix of picking up an ethical wine may require more insight than previously imagined.

Wine is not the only product to raise such questions. Think of an organic tomato that is grown in a heated greenhouse, or a British supermarket selling Fairtrade bananas but offering only poor working conditions to its own employees. Or locally grown fruit and vegetables shrink-wrapped to within an inch of their lives.

For too long concerns about over-consumption and the environment have been “someone else’s issue”. Now, the problem is resolutely at our doorstep and cannot be ignored any longer.

Eco-ethics – the big picture

The time for pragmatism is here, and a well-reasoned balance is the only way forward.
The last thing an ethical wine drinker wants to be is naive or to be called a hypocrite. They need to be empowered with accurate information in order to make an honest and well-rounded choice.

Combining the criteria set out by the ethical agencies to form a brand of eco-ethics would be solid progress: a brand featuring a numerical scale whereby the consumer would categorically know the ethical and ecological status of their wine.
It is all a question of accurate information, perspective and attitudes to the “big picture”. This initiative would push wineries and wine companies to consider all facets of environmental and human impact, not just those that come with a marketing-friendly logo.

In a world thirsty for scandal, any ugly side of an organisation will eventually be unearthed. The noble work achieved by these ethical organisations must not be overshadowed by the fundamental chinks in their armour. They must work together to create a unified and useful bank of information.

The consumer’s tolerance for misinformation is low. One only needs to look at the recent history regarding parliamentary expenses and the phone hacking scandal to understand that the general public are in no mood to be misled.

The ethics game is a long and arduous one, each player playing by different rules, being driven by different outlooks and motivations. The balance between these large-scale environmental concerns and those of a functioning business is fragile, a cohesive strategy must be set in place quickly and effectively before the ethics industry is caught out.

WSET Chablis masterclass

So my Chablis espionage trip to the WSET was a success, it was sponsored by Chablis itself hence the £25 price tag. Quite a nice tasting room, Gareth Morgan did a decent job at presenting, quite quick and informative for the real wine geeks with plenty of slides. So.....les vins....

Petit Chablis de Camu 09 £10 - Light pretty decent, honey, bit of grass. Worth checking out but I have preferred La Chablisienne or Vocoret Petit Chablis in the past.

Chablis Domaine Droin 09 £14 (uncorked) - Loads of oak and I really enjoyed, sweet nuts mixed with Riesling-like lime pith. Many thought the oak was (weird) but I thought it added length and concentration albeit in a TOWIE chav vajazzel shuuut up kinda way (check reference if unsure).

Chablis Domaine Jean Durup 09 £17 (Beaconsfield Wine Cellars) - Nice, classic and concentrated. Didn't live up to the price tag.

Chablis Domaine Vocoret P cru Montmains 09 £14 (Majestic/Auchan in Macon) - Very good, classic, delineated, mineral-led length. Enjoyed a lot.

Chablis N et G Fevre P cru Mont de Milieu 09 £16 (Folly Cottage Wines) - The most concentrated in the mid-palate but slipped off quite quick. A high glycerol level and so some of the sharp acid was masked. Shame. Decent but a bit milky for the Chablis purists out there.

Chablis Domaine Brocard (magnum) 06 P Cru Butteaux (a climat in Montmains) (Henley Vintners £18 -. presume for 75cl) - Everyone loved it -everyone but myself and a young French chappie next to me. It was too old. It had toffee caramel on the nose, with pear and red blousey apples on the palate. It wasn't serious enough to age with no oak/little and did not have the acidity to carry off the flavours, again malolactic-tastic and creamy.Think cream without the fat - yes. No evil grin for this wine. Had a debate with the room about it being washed out, they were arguing it was integrated.

Chablis Grand cru Grenouilles La Chablisienne 07 (Fine and Rare) £48 - It was bright and quite acidic which I enjoyed. Incredible concentration and classic and clean, apparently La Chab own the majority of this GC and are forming a new climat on the lower slope next to le Clos around Chateau Grenouilles.
It was long, concentrated, complex yet subtle but in a very classic way, lemon, lime and that unidentifiable thing that Chablis has - a mix between grass and an almost medicinal Semillon/Rousanne quality. Loved it -althought the room agreed that price compared to PC's and some Chablis' did not make this good value, but compared to GC white burg it wasn't bad. Ma and Pa, please try when at the winery on your way up after Xmas.

Chablis Grand cru Blanchot Domaine Laroche 07 (slurp.co.uk) £54 - In a word- No. The wine was good in general terms but not GC quality. From the Southerly facing GC so not the best aspect, just hanging on in my opinion. Not overly concentrated with some lemon, pea and asparagus if you like that sort of over-cropped Sauvignon funk. How many times has this producer been wishy washy? Ma and Pa.....this is the producer that used to be in the boiled trolley at ATAC under the sign "les vins marinade". Says it all really.

Best buys

Chablis Domaine Droin 09 £14 (uncorked)

Chablis Domaine Vocoret P cru Montmains 09 £14 (Majestic/Auchan in Macon)

Chablis Grand cru Grenouilles La Chablisienne 07 (Fine and Rare) £48 (would love to try 08)

So Chablis this xmas?? Any thoughts on the supermarket versions?