NEW YORK, NY, Sept 15, 2021: Domaine Bousquet is joining forces with key wine industry sustainability leaders around the globe, to form the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), a new international community that has come together to accelerate action as sustainability challenges mount. SWR is a unique coalition of leading wine brands, small producers, distributors, retailers, and environmental organizations who are united in their commitment to make the wine sector a leader in sustainability.
The SWR will work to create a global standard on sustainability in the wine industry. Building on regional sustainability certifications, the SWR will develop a consensus on what sustainability means, how it is implemented and measured.
They will raise awareness around sustainability issues and develop best practices to address them. From droughts, to flooding, raising temperatures and wildfires. Social pressures around workers’ rights and diversity, the wine industry, like many others, has significant issues that need addressing.
“There are many innovative programs and projects to make vineyards and wineries more environmentally friendly and social just. Our goal is to bring them together to generate the clarity, cohesion, and collaboration necessary for the wine sector to establish itself as a leader on the world sustainability stage” notes Richard Bampfield MW, the roundtable’s initial chair
The organization is well-positioned to achieve its goals, as its 49 founding members are major players, from all corners of the industry. “We invite everyone in the wine community to join us,” Bampfield added, noting that the SRW will be open to general membership in 2022.
“A global problem, a global solution. It’s common sense. As a trained economist, I firmly believe climate change must be combated with practical, implementable, and measurable global sustainability standards. With some of the best minds and leaders in the wine industry working together via the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, we can win the battle.” — Co-owner Domaine Bousquet, Anne Bousquet
Two factors that attracted Domaine Bousquet to the SWR are: no greenwashing as members must demonstrate continuous improvement themselves, and the membership reflects the diversity of the industry, from leading brands to small producers to distributors and retailers. That diversity means the proposals will be refined by all the major sectors in the industry for a unified approach and workability in “the real world.”
The UK-based SWR is launching with 49 founding members:: Ahold Delhaize, Alko, Alliance Wine, Amfori, Amorim Cork, BLB Vignobles, British Glass, BSI, Catena Institute of Wine, Château Léoube, Cloudy Bay, Concha y Toro, Conseil Interprofessional du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), Diversity in Food and Beverage, Domaine Bousquet, Dr. Loosen, Enotria & Coe, Equalitas, Famille Perrin, Fish Friendly Farming, Food Alliance, Grupo Avinea, Hochschule Geisenheim University, International Wineries for Climate Action, JancisRobinson.com, Journey’s End Vineyards, Lidl GB, Napa Green, New York Wine & Grape Foundation, North South Wines, Preferred by Nature, Ramón Bilbao, Schenk Group, Ste Michelle Wine Estates, Sustainable Agriculture Network, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia, Systembolaget, The Co-op UK, The Fairtrade Foundation, The Porto Protocol, The Wine Society, Treasury Wine Estates, Vingruppen, Vintage Wine Estates, Waitrose & Partners, Whole Foods Market, Wines of South Africa, WWF South Africa.
Domaine Bousquet is Argentina’s largest producer and exporter of certified organic wines, selling over 250,000 cases annually in the U.S. alone. Organically farmed since its founding, the Argentine winery released its first vintage in 2005. Currently transitioning to biodynamic production, its sustainably produced portfolio also offers USDA Certified Organic as well as vegan options. The winery is deeply involved in its Andean Uco Valley community, helping locals get an education and promoting from within the company.
Domaine Bousquet, owned and run by husband-and-wife team Labid al Ameri and Anne Bousquet, has made a name for itself in the organic category in a relatively short period, beginning with the 2005 release of the winery’s first vintage. The 672-acre estate in Gualtallary, a sub-zone of Tupungato in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, is now Argentina’s largest producer and exporter of certified organic wines. Vineyards planted in virgin terrain, starting in the late 1990s, lie at a dizzying altitude of 4,000 feet. True to its owners’ European heritage, the wines are crafted with a French winemaking sensibility.
