Help the Fairtrade cause with South African wines

Choosing Fairtrade means standing with farmers for fairness and equality, against some of the biggest challenges the world faces. It means farmers creating change, from investing in climate friendly farming techniques to developing women in leadership.

In essence, the system aims to redress the balance between those farming or producing the products and those buying them or employing the workers. Buying a Fairtrade product helps support this system, helping both communities in less developed parts of the world and also helping the planet – sustainable and ethically produced products, whether that be coffee, bananas, chocolate or wine.

The Journeys End winery in South Africa, produces a range of wines under the Journeys End label and one of their other brands, Mount Rozier – one of the estates owned by the company. Owned and managed by the Gabb family who arrived from Shropshire in 1995, this top wine producer is wholly committed to sustainable and ethically produced wines of uncompromising quality at the different price levels. The environmentally and socially responsible team have gained multiple awards and accreditations for their efforts, converting to solar power in 2014 and becoming fully Fairtrade certified from April 2017.

Apart from various Ethical and Green Awards, in 2021 they attained World Wildlife Fund Conservation Champion status for their continued commitment to sustainable farming and conservation of native fauna and flora, something close to my own heart as an erstwhile Zoologist.

So here are my recommendations of four Fairtrade wines chosen from the range, the purchase of which will contribute to sustainable development, social change and environmental protection, whilst you enjoy a delicious glass of wine.

The first three are from the Mount Rozier range, all with wonderfully evocative names and available from The Co-op. The Weatherman Sauvignon Blanc 2022 comes from vineyards in the Western Cape, cooled by ocean breezes, giving a vibrant, elegant Sauvignon, with hints of gooseberry and crisp, refreshing citrus and granny smith’s finish. Extraordinary value at £5.75. Alongside this is a delicate, pale rosé Mount Rozier Reserve 2022 The Frog Chorus £6.50! Fresh, with well-balanced fruit and acidity, dry, crisp and medium-bodied, with strawberry and red cherry flavours, from Grenache Noir grapes. Due to the hard work of water conservation, a chorus of frogs is audible near the vineyards at night.

Mount Rozier Reserve Merlot 2021 The Beekeeper is from vineyards in Stellenbosch, the natural farming methods involving beekeeping to pollinate the vine flowers, as well as producing delicious honey. £7.25 from the Co-op, an easy-drinking mellow red, packed full of juicy, red plum fruit, lifted by very gentle French oak ageing.

Also from the Co-op is Journey’s End Night Watchman Shiraz-Malbec 2021 at £8.50. Aged in French oak for 12 months, only 105 barrels were produced from carefully selected vineyards in the Western Cape. Surprisingly complex at this price, with layers of black cherry, blackberry and dark plum fruit, with hints of black pepper and spice. Another success from winemaker Leon Esterhuizen.