STATUS AND VISION
Sustainability in action: driving change in Alentejo BY JAMES LAWRENCE
“Collective sustainability plans are common practice in some world wine regions and have been gaining importance in markets where Alentejo wines have also been gaining position” 8 Vinhos do Alentejo
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here is much to tempt oenophiles in the Alentejo region; winegrowers have become fantastically adept at exploiting their varied terroir – rich loamy soils interspersed with limestone and metamorphic rock – and Mediterranean climate. Indeed, the rising prominence of organic viticulture, facilitated by the dry summers, provides ample evidence of Alentejo’s outstanding potential. The region enjoys about 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, producing concentrated wines of real distinction. As a result, exports continue to grow and the message is starting to hit home: Alentejo is the land of diversity and premium quality. Yet the increasingly hot and dry growing conditions do present significant challenges and a potential threat to the region’s development. Taking a collegiate approach, Alentejo’s community has committed to a pan-regional sustainability programme, to ensure that viticulture remains sustainable and profitable in the 21st century. Launched in 2015, the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) is a broad initiative, organised by the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission. “Collective sustainability plans are common practice in some world wine regions and have been gaining importance in markets where Alentejo wines have also been gaining position,” explains coordinator João Barroso. “There was a clear urgency to create a regional movement towards best practices, resource savings, efficiency increases and prosperity aligned with the adaptation to climate change. Our programme includes
