Wine become Ethical in Alba

Project Ethical Wine in Alba

A new concept with regard to the quality of the product can be defined as ethical certification, and is emerging in the global wine scenario. In recent years there has been a strong interest in environmental certification, related to the choices made in the vineyard and in the cellar to ensure respect for the environment. Nowadays, however, it seems to lose importance. Everyone puts it into practice, as if it is routine, and loses interest. Moreover, its real application can not easily be controlled. It starts with high-profile slogans, but making them is completely different.

Today the wine world is on the way to ethical certification. There are two main aspects. The first concerns the correctness of the entrepreneurial action: rejection of child and irregular labor, justice towards employees, choice of suppliers or markets (prohibits the exclusion of countries with dictatorial regimes). Choices that consumers pay attention to. The other concerns the correct price of the product. The trend is to have wines of absolute quality, (goal now achieved by many wineries), but at an acceptable price. Exaggerated numbers, related to ephemeral elements, to characters that are not charismatic, to areas that have recently - and perhaps doubtfully - arisen, are regarded by many consumers as a contradiction.

As far as ethical certification is concerned, a great initiative has arisen in Alba thanks to the involvement of Armando Bianco, chairman of the cooperation project Progetto Emmaus. In the Sala Beppe Fenoglio some wines were presented that were related to solidarity initiatives. Project Emmaus presented three Roero Arneis Docg "Ottomans", from the vineyards of Santo Stefano Roero. The cooperative Maramao di Canelli proudly presents their four wines produced by asylum seekers and with grapes from abandoned vineyards and with a risk of decay. Finally, the Valelapena, the wine produced from grapes from the Alba prison, was presented.

The quality of the wine tasting was excellent and the public was impressed by the interventions of the producers, who noticed the problems and difficulties that detainees, disabled people or other people in difficulty encountered.