Do-Good Wines

By Ray Isle

These excellent wines all support great causes.

Profits from Napa's Ehlers Estate go toward supporting heart research. Photo courtesy of Ehlers.

2008 Fetzer Merlot ($9)

A juicy, straightforward red that's packaged in lightweight glass bottles to reduce the wine's carbon footprint.

2008 Viña Calina Reserve Carmenère ($10)

The Maule Valley was hard-hit by Chile's earthquake this year. Buy a wine from the region to support its farmers.

2009 Yellow + Blue Torrontés ($14)

Y + B first made news with its Tetra-Pak (low carbon footprint!) organic Malbec. Now it has a crisp white Torrontés, too.

2009 Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Gris ($17)

Chehalem is one of 14 Oregon producers that completed the Carbon Neutral Challenge, helping reduce winery greenhouse-gas emissions.

2007 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc ($45)

All of this Napa Valley winery's profits go to a private foundation that supports heart research.

2009 Raptor Ridge Winery Pinot Gris ($15)

Raptor Ridge is one ofseveral Oregon wineries that support ¡Salud!, a charity providing health care for seasonal vineyard workers.

2009 Hall Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($22)

This melony, lively Sauvignon Blanc comes from the first winery in Napa Valley to receive LEED Gold certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

2008 Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett ($19)

Buy Riesling from the famed Urziger Wurzgarten vineyard. The German government is about to build a huge bridge right next to it, and the growers need some moral support.

2007 Dominus ($130)

A terrific wine from a rare California Cabernet vineyard farmed without irrigation. In a state that just had three back-to-back drought years, that's a good thing.

100 Bottles to Drink Right Now

More Wine Coverage:

American Wine Awards 2010

What Sommeliers Know Best

Star Chefs Making a Difference

Published October 2010