Symington Family Estates, based in the Douro Valley of Portugal, has announced the launch of its Altano Rewilding Edition red wine. A portion of the revenue from the sales of the wine will go to Rewilding Portugal, a not-for-profit organisation that is pioneering an ambitious conservation strategy on a 120,000-hectare wildlife corridor in the Greater Côa Valley in northern Portugal.
The Greater Côa Valley is one of the wildest areas in Portugal, with diverse habitats and endemic species. By improving connectivity between these natural areas, it is hoped that more wildlife will return to the valley, expanding their ranges. In fact, there are now more Iberian wolves, red deer and roe deer coming back to the rewilding area.
Altano Rewilding Edition is a classic Douro blend made from Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca. The wine is fruity and easy to drink, with a pleasant mouthfeel. I can imagine drinking it while watching the wild animals roaming the valley.
The wine comes in a 750ml standard bottle, and a cardboard bag-in-tube format (2.25L) contains the equivalent of three bottles – easily recyclable, with a much lower carbon footprint than the equivalent volume in glass.
In wine-producing countries like the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Italy, there are wineries that make wines dedicated to specific causes. In Hong Kong, we have regular one-off wine auctions that raise funds for various charities, but there are no particular wines that are linked to any causes. The closest I am aware of are the initiatives organised by Wines of South Africa (WOSA), with wine suppliers donating $10 for every bottle of South African wine sold to various charities.
For the past five years, WOSA has participated in Moontrekker, which donates to The Nature Conservancy, an environmental conversation charity. In 2020, WOSA organised a three-month-long campaign called Over the Rainbow to raise funds for Pebbles Project and Anna Foundation, helping underprivileged children in the Cape Winelands of South Africa.
We feel good when we know what we spend contributes to good causes. It’s not clear if Altano Rewilding Edition will be available in Hong Kong, but please do support it if you see it around.
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