Irish Times 16 march 2009

Schooner lands at Dublin Port laden with 'green' French wine

The schooner Etoile de France passing the Muglins lighthouse beacon off Dalkey Island, Dublin.
Photograph: Jehan Ashmore

LORNA SIGGINS, Marine Correspondent

A FRENCH schooner has delivered some 15,000 bottles of “green” wine to Dublin Port in time for St Patrick’s Day.

French ambassador to Ireland Yvon Roe d’Albert and Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe have welcomed the arrival of the Etoile de France, following its journey from St Malo in Brittany to Dublin in three days under the command of Thomas Launay.

The ship was commissioned by Fair Wind Wine Ltd, an Irish-based company which was established last year with the aim of sustainable delivery of French wine – as in, by sail.

Not only is such transport producing 77 per cent fewer carbon emissions than by conventional sea delivery, the company says, but each shipment is fitted with a radio frequency identification to record and monitor the temperature of the alcohol during the voyage.

The wines are produced from the vineyards of southwest France. The president of Fair Wind Wine, Frederic Albert, believes he is participating in building a new economy.

“This year we are facing a difficult turning point, people are fed up because of the economic crisis and the way financial decision-makers played with the future of millions of people,” he said at the weekend.

“If you add to this the real issue of global warming, it tastes like a bad blend. We want to create a positive response to that in saying we can build a new economy based on the wise knowledge of older times.”

“When people buy our wine, it is to say ‘Stop!’. . . and say ‘we want something better for the future!’,” he added.

The schooner leaves for France, weather permitting, today or tomorrow.

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

Source : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0316/1224242907260.html