One French vineyard is hoping to reap what it sows from its sustainability pledge

o promote its actions in favour of sustainability, whilst also raising consumer awareness, the Fabre family is sowing tiny seeds. With five Languedoc estates producing 1 million bottles, it is publicising its commitment to combatting climate change by using paper designed to be planted. Slipped into boxes of Château de Luc's 2020 Lux label – its organic bottling retailing for €10.60 – the sheet of aromatic seeds is designed to be planted after reading about actions already rolled out by the family, whose vineyards have been certified organic for 30 years and who have planted hedges and installed photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, to name a few. The family also aims to inform customers about its objectives: insulating the wineries, switching to electrically-fuelled transport and agricultural vehicles and achieving carbon neutrality, for instance.

“The catalyst was our membership of the Corporate Convention for the Climate, which gathers together 150 companies in 8 sessions over a year”, explains Clémence Fabre, the family firm’s marketing and export director, who aims to pass on the product of her thinking to her employees and customers. “We want this label to be the link between our 2030 climate programme and you”, states the sheet of seeds to be sown, adding that there is still “work to be done together to support the sea-change in our environment”.