I’ve been very “meh” with wine lately…feeling like a privileged little white girl indulging in the smells, flavors and experiences privy to wine. Granted, that’s always the case, as life has been pretty decent to me, but recent happenings have amplified such sentiments of superfluity and thus left me silent.
Apart from talking about pertinent issues and donating to the right organizations, how can we as wine lovers do our part? Sure there are wines out there with a cause, and that can be a great start. But unless you’re a giant in the industry, producing wines for a cause is very difficult. More often than not, small producers are just trying to get by like the rest of us. Perhaps a more realistic alternative would be to find out a little more about those behind the wine and make sure you’re buying from decent human beings?
We can support wineries that treat their people right and pay decent wages. Producers like Carter Mollenhauer Wines who admittedly charge more for their wines so that each human involved in its creation can be compensated properly. Or maestros like Roberto Henriquez, pictured above, who I’ve seen serving his helpers sandwiches and wine in gratitude of a successful harvest. Two of thousands of examples…
And certainly, we must try to drink from wineries who focus on sustainable production and eco-friendly practices.
What do you do? How do you balance the privilege and passion for wine with wanting the world to be a better place?
