Our Practices

Orlando’s is a business with sustainability at its core.
Environmental considerations are first and foremost, to the extent that only necessary compromises will be made, as rarely as possible.

Our wines and foods are sourced from organic and biodynamic wineries and farms. This has benefits for both the local environments and the quality of the products in themselves.

Sustainability is a concept much discussed and a word widely used. What does it mean for us? In the wine industry it is multi-faceted, as it is in all industries with complex production and supply chains. It begins in the vineyard; soil, water and bio-diversity. Then the winery; energy, water, packaging, transport.

Certification

Certification is widely appreciated as a guide to sustainability. The various schemes are represented by badges and labels, making it easy for us to identify good practice.
This is useful of course but certification is a costly and lengthy process. There are many reasons why a wine producer will not take this route, perhaps losing some advantage in doing so. And that’s a shame.

However, without certification we can rely on merchants for education and the sharing of knowledge. Even certified organic agriculture allows for compromises, only more strictly regulated.

Relationships, between suppliers and merchants, and between merchants and customers, can allow for the methods to be revealed and for each to decide what suits them. Orlando’s is such a business, seeking information and making decisions based on discussion and experience.

For example, Orlando’s is very delighted to represent Monterosola of Volterra in Tuscany. Their approach to their vineyard and winery is highly focused on sustainablity; for the love of nature and the desire to do little harm.

Monterosola have invested significantly and long-term sustainability was integral to that investment. Their grapes are grown organically and the winery incorporates exciting technology ensuring efficiency in water and energy.

They are not certified and that is the choice made by many. Here at Orlando’s we have wines from Vignamaggio in Chianti, and producers from Sicily. They too have as yet not taken the certification route. You can be sure that makes no difference to the lengths they go in pursuit of good practice.

Simplicity

Of course not all growers and makers can, or wish to invest large sums. Long before industrial agriculture there was just farming. There was no option but to work with nature and learn. That has never changed for many wine makers and oil producers. In ideal climates especially it has not been necessary to change the fundamentals.

Grapes become wine, olives become oil.

It is common in the wine industry for importers, wholesalers and retailers to visit vineyards and wineries throughout the world.  These valuable opportunities can form the basis of purchasing decisions when sustainability is a guiding principle.
Often, the reward for this diligence, for the customer in particular, is quality. The care, the attention to detail and the hard work that sustainability entails can result in something individual and delicious.

Not always of course; agriculture and food production based on minimal intervention carries risk and adventure. Time and experience leads to knowledge and ultimately the quality we all seek.

Localism

Finally, sustainability should mean local, as much as possible. As a specialist in Italian goods there is an obvious limitation for us.

We are based in Devon though. So we are blessed with an abundance of produce, much of it from good farming. So too are we nestled among interesting people; producers and entreupreneurs providing opportunities for collaboration and mutual support.

Culture and community are often intrinsic to sustainability and they make localism a business reality. We are happy to be in that circumstance.

We would like you to think of Orlando’s as an enthusiastic and trustworthy source.
If you would like to know more or ask a question then do please contact us.