Florida’s Fairtrade Market Expands To Wine

Fair Trade Month has just wrapped up, however, it is something that is trending year round. There are numerous shops in Southwest Florida that specialize in all kinds of Fairtrade goods. Most people are familiar with fairtrade clothing, handmade goods and coffee. But did you know that Florida's fairtrade expands to wine as well? If these are the kind of products you look for, I’ll give you a few tips to navigate the fermented juice world for Wine Wednesday. In addition, two that are perfect for fall as well as the holidays.

Putting it quite simply, Fairtrade is a movement to help protect the well being of workers in developing countries. It is a broad umbrella that applies to working conditions, wages and overall well being. Fairtrade designations are found on clothing items and home goods as well as chocolates and coffee. Now the spotlight is getting turned on those who tend vineyard land and work in wineries.

First, most of the Fairtrade wines come from Latin countries such as Argentina and Chile. I recently attended a free media wine tasting where I discovered several from Bodega Argento in Argentina. The are a leader in organic, sustainable and Fairtrade wine production.  In addition, winemaker, Juan Pablo Murgia, was recently nominated as Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.

The winery is doing some really cool things and the wine are distributed in Southwest Florida. One that I got to try was a white malbec and the other was the classic malbec. These wines have the Fairtrade certification logo on the label. Always look for that when buying these kind of items.

Enjoy Fairtrade goods where you can find them.
Drink responsibly.

It finally feels like fall has arrived in Southwest Florida and we can truly embrace the season. Restaurants are doing the same thing. Chefs are adding an array of new seasonal ingredients and changing their menus to highlight them. I joined a small group of journalists and social media folks last night for a private preview of  one restaurant's lineup. The Local in Naples introduces a new Fall menu and it is fantastic.

The Local is one of the few true farm and sea to table restaurants in Southwest Florida. It is the mission of chef and owner Jeff Mitchell to source virtually all products from nearby farms, fisheries, ranchers and other artisans. Mitchell is a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) trained chef. In addition, he is the grandson of Italian immigrants who owned a restaurant in Detroit for 40 years. He knows and loves good food.

Mitchell is approaching his ten year anniversary at the restaurant on Pine Ridge and Airport in Naples. His intention was to fill a void in the local restaurant scene where local produce and goods seemed hard to find. A lot of the produce he gets is from Inyoni Organic Farms. The owner even plants things specifically for Mitchell. The quality is crazy good.

Mitchell is hands on, makes everything from scratch, from the ricotta and almond cheese, to the pasta and bread. Sourdough is used for his pizzas and it cooks up nice and crisp. Mitchell just finished pickling figs for his fall pork dishes. He also preserves and pickles summer fruits so he can use then throughout the year. In addtion, The Local has numerous vegan and gluten options.

Thanks for feeding us such great food chef and for keeping it "local." Congratulations on ten years. The Local in Naples introduces a new Fall menu. Here are some photos of both new and signature items to whet your appetite.