The Spring/Summer issue of our twice-yearly periodical, No.3 magazine, is landing on doorsteps this week. Here’s a little preview of what’s inside

At the moment, it’s impossible to have a conversation with a fine wine grower or spirits producer without the “s” word cropping up. And rightly so. Conversations around sustainability have never been more urgent or important. So, when I was compiling the new issue of No.3, I wanted to approach the topic from a number of different angles – all of which are relevant to those of us who enjoy fine wines and spirits.

Naturally, we wanted to look at the impact of climate change on our growers. The story of ever-warmer vintages and chaotic weather patterns is already affecting the wines we know and love; producers are working harder than ever to lessen their own impact and adapt to changing conditions. Nowhere is this more obvious than in California and Oregon, where wildfires wreaked havoc in 2020. We were fortunate enough to speak with three preeminent producers to hear their take on events.

Elsewhere, we look at social sustainability and the role of the co-operative in winemaking. The heartland for this seemingly old-fashioned production model is Champagne. When it works, it works brilliantly – as our co-op-made Own Selection Champagne attests.

We also delve deeper into the genuinely fascinating role that natural cork plays in making wine more sustainable. Adam Holden’s article on the subject will give you pause for thought every time you reach for your waiter’s friend.

Elsewhere, in the spirits world, we sniff out a handful of heritage grains and consider the role these old varieties have to play both in the bottle and in the wider environment. The key to unlocking new flavours, it seems, may well be hidden in our past.

Closer to home, we also tell the story behind our new limited-edition Good Ordinary Claret. Artist Tom Frost designed the label for us in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. A percentage of the profits will go to the laudable Queen’s Green Canopy charity.

You can find more about this, and a selection of articles from the current issue, here.