Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme: what it teaches us all

‘Sustainability’ has been a buzzword in the wine industry for years, and there is now a bewildering number of national and regional schemes proudly declaring their various eco-credentials. For both buyers and consumers, these labels can be confusing and, often, of dubious long-term value.Established in 2015, The Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP), however, is recognised as one of the most significant and valuable initiatives in Europe and beyond. Based on widespread training and sharing of information among its members, it has been the most powerful driving force behind the region’s widespread adoption of meaningful, integrated sustainability practices that have seen much of the Alentejo’s wine industry change enormously in only a decade and gives hope for a future shaped by climate change. Kate Hawkings reports on the programme’s impressive progress.