Hello Rascals, a very happy new year to you all, and a big pat on the back for those of you in the trade who have endured yet another busy festive season, facilitating the over-indulgence of patrons across the country. You are the unsung heroes of Christmas.
Hopefully you managed to squeeze in some indulging of your own too and are, like the rest of us, atoning for this throughout the January month. But how will you be doing it? Are you opting for a dry January? Or perhaps the newer phenomenon Veganuary? Perhaps you’re really ahead of the curve (not to mention brave), and have opted for a ‘Plastic-Free January’?
Yes, that is a thing, and no, we haven’t made it up for the convenience of this blog. Google it.
What do these new-fangled January trends have in common? Sustainability of course!
2019 is the year that sustainability is going to be bigger than ever. That’s why our wonderful Sustainability Campaign, covering South Africa, The United States, Champagne, Australia and the UK trade is coming to its highly anticipated climax this month. So keep your eyes peeled.
Before then though, we felt that, given our self declared love for the stuff, and its reported surge in popularity, it was only right that we delve once again into the wonderful world of Cava.
This time, we spoke to Vallformosa, one of our trendiest Cava families, who are at the very top of the sustainable-wine-making game.
Why do you think sustainability is important in winemaking?
Winemaking in itself is essentially a natural process and more and more wine makers are going back to the essentials. Offering a natural product, BIO – Organic, and becoming sensitive to environmental concerns. Vallformosa recognises and identifies the importance of this and invests to
ensure that sustainability is placed at the forefront of our corporate philosophy.
We have noticed that a lot of Cava producers are incorporating sustainable practice into their winemaking. Is there something you can tell us about the climate, or perhaps the culture in your region that encourages this?
Wine has been grown in Spain since at least the second century BC. The art has been linked to the favourable climate for vine growing and we continue to benefit from winemaking, who’s importance is clearly reflected in many local economies throughout the Mediterranean region. It is clear that living in such a natural environment helps to influence our desire to extend sustainability not only through the product but also throughout the entire elaboration process.
We have been very excited to see a big lift in Cava sales the past year. Have you also noticed any uplift in demand for sustainably-made products more specifically?
The demand for organic products continues to grow, both in Spain and in most of our export markets, and although it continues to be a niche offering, we see genuine value in being a sustainable company. In fact, we can imagine a moment in which organic will be a standard offering and consumers will demand corporate implication in finding a solution to the environmental problems that our societies face.
We couldn’t agree more!
…and that moment is coming soon!
Look out for more exciting things from us this month, and if you want to get your hands on this lil’ belleza, then give us a shout now.