Please wait while we create your listing....
Celebrate Earth Day with Helen McGinn’s favourite conscious tipples!
Given that wine is one of nature’s greatest party tricks, it seems only right that we should raise a glass on Earth Day this Friday! So, I’ve rounded up some of my favourite drinks that not only taste good but do good, from organic wines to ones that aim to give something back to the planet. Nowadays there are plenty to choose from and at prices that won’t break the bank. Win, win!
Castillo De Zalin Organic Monastrell 2020, £7.50, Co-op
As more producers switch to making their wines organically, avoiding the use of herbicides or pesticides in the vineyards, so has it become easier to find them at all prices rather than just the top end. This organic red is made from the Monastrell grape (known as Mourvedre elsewhere) in Jumilla, down in southeast Spain. Rich and ripe with juicy black fruit flavours, this is the kind of red to have to hand when there’s a roast on the table.
The Hidden Sea Rosé, £9, Sainsbury’s
The founders of this Australian wine brand work with the Resea Project and for every bottle sold, 10 plastic bottles are removed from the sea. They recently hit the 10 million bottle milestone for single use plastic bottles removed from the ocean and aim to remove one billion by 2030. The wine itself is fantastic, made from a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes grown across South Australia. Perfect with prawns, just so you know!
One Sage Gin 70cl, £36, thespiritofone.com
This award-winning gin brand gives 10% of all profits to life-changing water projects. To date over £20K has been donated, changing the lives of over 2,500 people in some of the world’s poorest communities. They’ve also reduced the weight of their bottles by 20% to lower their carbon footprint. Crucially, the gin is delicious! Just mix with plenty of ice, a twist of orange and top up with good tonic water.
Trash & Treasure Spiced Botanical Rum 70cl, £32, warnersdistillery.com
Made by award-winning craft gin producer Warner’s, founder Tom Warner decided to make his own version of spiced rum but with botanicals other than just the usual spices. Instead, he uses discarded citrus peels and overripe bananas from a local prepared fruit factory and adds them, along with dandelion, to Jamaican White Rum. The result is a refreshing mix of sweetness and bitterness, delicious served over ice with ginger beer and a wedge of lime.
Helen’s new book In Just One Day is out on 5th August and available to pre-order now (Boldwood Books). Check out Helen’s website for more wine recommendations.
