First Fairtrade Wine Award Winners Will Be Announced at the Tasting
The second annual Fairtrade Tasting will take place on Thursday November 1st at Vinopolis, and is open to the trade and press 10.00am-4.00pm. This will be followed by an evening consumer tasting event 5.00pm-7.00pm.
A wider range of wines will be on show than at last year’s first tasting, illustrating the ever increasing demand for Fairtrade goods, and the buoyant market that exists in the UK today.
Organised by the UK Fairtrade Wine Committee, the tasting will showcase over 120 wines from some 18 producers in Argentina, Chile and South Africa. Some of the wineries will also be represented at the tasting by beneficiaries of several Fairtrade projects funded by the sales of wines in the UK and Europe.
The winners of the very first Fairtrade Wine Awards will be announced at the tasting. These awards were set up by the UK Fairtrade Wine Committee with the aim to raise awareness of the high standard of Fairtrade wines available, as well as drawing further attention to the tangible benefits of Fairtrade. The wines were recently judged by wine writers Liz Morcom MW, Sally Easton MW, Julie Arkell, Patricia Langton, Christine Austin, and David Williams, and Marks & Spencer buyer Jo Ahearne. Louise Vaux from WSTA chaired the judging.
The UK Fairtrade Wine Committee was formed in 2006 with the aim of raising awareness in the UK wine trade and most importantly with the consumer. Made up of licensees representing the wines in the UK, this committee is the only one of its kind in the Fairtrade sector, as its members actively collaborate to raise the profile of its products; and the benefits to the workers and local communities that produce them.
According to Emma Sundt, Business Development Officer at the Fairtrade Foundation, wine represents one of the fastest growing sectors of Fairtrade goods in the UK. Overall, retail sales of Fairtrade products are growing year on year at 46%.
“In the few years that Fairtrade wine has been imported from the three main countries, we have seen that this sector is increasing significantly year on year,” Emma reports. “Wholesale wine volumes increased 116.7% in 2006 compared to the 2005 volumes. The UK is by far the biggest consumer of Fairtrade wine, with 2.5 million litres sold last year alone, representing a market value of £7 million. This amounts to around 1% of the overall wine market and represents a market value of circa £7 million. It has never been more relevant to showcase the Fairtrade wines that are now available in the UK.
“I am delighted to see this sector collaborate so effectively for the benefit of Fairtrade. Within the Fairtrade sector, wine really leading the way in organising events such as this tasting.”
The Fairtrade Wine Committee is chaired by Nick Day of Ehrmanns. “It is great to be working with so many licensees who are committed to promoting and distributing their Fairtrade wines as widely as possible. In organising the tasting and the awards, we as a committee seek to raise the profile of Fairtrade, and of the quality, excellent value for money and availability of the wines.
“Judging by the response we have received from the trade, press and consumer, there is clearly considerable interest in, and awareness of, Fairtrade wines out there.”
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