CityLife

Fair wines from Fairtrade

MONDAY marks the start of Fairtrade Fortnight - promoting ethically traded goods. More than 50 per cent of the adult population now recognise the Fairtrade Mark, the independent production certificate label that guarantees Third World farmers a fair and stable price - and their workers a chance to improve their lives.

Live 8 was obviously crucial in raising awareness of the 1,300 Fairtrade products available in this country. Sales in Britain are now é140m and é1bn across the developed world. Most supermarkets stock Fairtrade bananas; Manchester's coffee bar of the year, Suburb on Deansgate, sources its beans from Fairtrade outlets; famous faces are rushing to endorse the Fortnight.

Wine has had a lower profile in all this, but there are some impressive (in a taste sense, too) ones around. Sainsbury's are stocking two Stellar organic wines from Namaqualand in South Africa - a fresh-tasting Colombard/Sauvignon Blanc white and a toothsome Shiraz Rose that is bursting with strawberrysish, rose petal fruit. Both are é4.99.

Stellar Winery's history with Fairtrade stems back to a truck accident in 1989 which killed 53 of their workers. After this a trust was set up. Projects include free housing, trained healthcare and electricity provision.

South Africa, with its Apartheid legacy, is at the forefront of ethical wine concerns. Thandi, the world's first Fairtrade certified wine brand, offers an excellent Thandi Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005, exclusive to the Co-op at é4.99 and the good news is it doesn't have to be a conscience buy. It tastes rather good, too, with smooth blackberry, minty flavours.

Chile's Los Robles co-operative was set up in 1939 to rebuild a commnity after an earthquake which killed 10,000 people. Its Fairtrade accreditation two years ago was the culmination of decades of improving economic conditions for its vineyard workers.

Los Robles Carmenere - currently Sainsbury's best-selling red - has an intense nose of damsons and plums. On the palate blackcurrant and mint dominate. It is also available at the same price, é4.99, from Somerfield and Waitrose. Somerfield also stock the Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. Los Robles also supply a range of Co-op Fairtade wines.