Businesses realize that being concerned for the environment and earning a related designation might not be enough.
In a world of inequities, where consumers are paying more attention to who they give their money to, being organic or sustainable may only be a start. Certified B Corporation is a fairly new designation that is more far- reaching; it requires an assessment of the impact an operation has on its workers, customers, community and environment.
Well-known consumer brands such as Ben & Jerry’s and Patagonia have become Certified B Corporations, and wineries and breweries are among the thousands of companies to go through a rigorous review of social responsibility that balances profit, purpose and the greater good.
For consumers who care about such designations, spending on products with Certified B Corporation designations puts their dollars to work, not just to meet their needs and wants but also to go back into the world in a positive way.
I recently picked up some wines made by Certified B Corporations. One large winery to earn that designation is Fetzer, just in time for a badly needed label redesign that appears on the 2019 wines.
Fetzer is known for affordable, quality wines, and the fun Fetzer 2019 Monterey Gewurtztraminer is juicy and full of mandarin orange and mango with a hint of clove and touch of sweetness. $10. ♦♦♦ 1/2
Oregon has, by one recent account, the most wineries classified as Certified B Corporations, with Brooks Winery and Sokol Blosser just to name a few.
A to Z 2019 Oregon Riesling has ripe pear and tropical notes with hints of acacia, honey and spice plus an off-dry finish. $15. ♦♦♦♦
The Symington family has been at work making port, as well as some table wines, in the Douro Valley for 130 years. Cockburn’s Special Reserve Port is a medium-sweet port with character of cocoa, rum raisin and berry with a light body and a bit of tannins. $19. ♦♦♦♦ 1/2
An affordable luxury, port is best enjoyed chilled with dessert or as dessert in 2- to 3-ounce servings. An open bottle will keep refrigerated for several months.
Symington’s lineup includes some of the great names in port, such as Dow’s, Graham’s and Warre’s, each of which I generally prefer to Cockburn’s. So if you see them, you can recognize them as part of the Symington Certified B Corportation family of brands.
Breweries have joined the movement as well, with names such as Allagash in Maine and New Belgium Brewing in Colorado also reaching the Certified B Corporation status.
You can find detailed information about how Certified B Corporations perform in a variety of areas, from governance to workers and the environment, at bcorporation.net.
GRADE: Exceptional ♦♦♦♦♦, Above average ♦♦♦♦, Good ♦♦♦, Below average ♦♦, Poor ♦
David Falchek executive director of the American Wine Society, reviews wines each week. Contact: dfalchek@gmail.com
