The Co-op boosts ‘green’ wine range with unfiltered and organic wines

UK convenience retailer The Co-op has launched its first range of unfiltered and organic wines, that go on shelf tomorrow.

Four new wines are being added to build on the retailer’s ‘green’ wine offer, taking the number of organic wines to eight, up from only two 12 months ago.

It comprises an unfiltered 12% abv Sicilian white wine made from the indigenous grape Cattaratto, Terra Madre Organic (RRP £6.50). The low-intervention wine is produced organically to promote healthy soil, plant and insect biodiversity, with grapes are hand-harvested and fermented without using additives or processing aids, resulting in a cloudy liquid, which the Coop says  “preserves the fruit immediacy”.

This sits alongside a trio of new organic wines, comprising a 14% abv Spanish organic red wine, Extreme Bobal 2018 (RRP: £10) from producer Alto Landon, who uses organic fertilisers and natural crop covers to manage the vineyards; the retailer’s first organic Prosecco, Pizzolato Prosecco Treviso DOC (v) (£10, 11% ABV), whose producer, Pizzolato has invested in green energy  including solar panels and water conservation in its wine production; and Estrada Douro White 2019 (RRP: £8) a fresh aromatic white wine produced exclusively for Co-op customers by the retailer in partnership with Real Companhia de Viticultores (RCV) and Lavradores de Feitoria.

The Co-op’s wine buyer Edward Robinson said there had been an increased demand from customers and members for affordable wines that was sourced in a sustainable way.

“We continue to champion Fairtrade with a market-leading range that supports global social projects and our move to add more organic wines and bottles sourced using eco-friendly methods, builds on this success. Following the popular customer response to the no-sulphur added wine from Spain this is a further move to recognise the trend for lower intervention wines seen in the on-trade.”