Look, we all know a glass, or bottle - who am I kidding, of wine can turn an ordinary situation into a celebration. We love to open a favorite bottle with friends, celebrate with a favorite winery when it's time for a party, or find a perfect pairing with a delicious meal.
But could your choice wine do even more? I’d argue easily yes.
Here's how:
Climate Change and Wine We are at the edge of a precipice when it comes to changing climate. Actually, we might already have one foot over the edge of the cliff. Rising temperatures around the world could mean your favorite bottles won’t be around even in your lifetime with harvests happening earlier and earlier and wild weather events. This was the hottest summer anyone in Irpinia can remember, the grapes were sunburned, vines scorched, and fewer grapes made it through the maturation process unscathed. We have to work together to do what we can to slow and eventually stop this disaster.
Good Growing Practices All great wines start from great grapes, and that means good growing practices. Winemakers who aren’t using chemical pesticides and weed killers aren’t just focused on the quality of what ends up in the bottle you pop open, they’re helping create a greener world for us all. Think about it, these chemicals don’t just magically evaporate into the air with no impact. They seep into the fruit, they’re consumed by the vines, and they can even contaminate the groundwater we all drink. If that doesn’t change the way you think, I don’t know what will.
Dry Farming I’m not saying irrigation is a bad thing, but if you’re growing native grapes in the climates where they originated, you’re less likely to need to consume massive quantities of water to grow your grapes. The wine club wineries all use this technique, like generations of winemakers have before them.
Support Good Winemakers Your wine choices really can have an impact on the environment. By drinking amazing wines from winemakers committed to helping to preserve the ecosystems where their grapes grow, you are making a difference in the overall health of the planet. Seems crazy, but it's true! And the more big corporations and megawineries see demand for these types of practices, they'll be falling all over themselves to join the latest wine trends. Don't believe me? Even Two Buck Chuck has an organic grape line now!
And you thought I was kidding...see, wine can help save the world.
Want to try some amazing wines made by good stewards of the environment?
Send me a message or call our partners at Schneider's of Capitol Hill (202-543-9300) to choose some wines from Irpinia that will be perfect for you. I can even set up a virtual wine tasting with Irpinia winemakers for you and friends. Let's set something up!