Raise a glass to sustainable cork standards

You may drink wine that's been certified organic and Fairtrade - possibly even locally sourced. But are you thinking about the carbon footprint of its cork?

A new standard, devised by the Rainforest Alliance, has been introduced to ensure that corks are (a) actual cork, rather than the plastic variety that's been creeping in and (b) comes from sustainably-managed forests. Look out for the new FSC logo (pictured), coming soon to endorse the corks that meet these responsible-growing standards on your bottles. If you want to start the habit now, Willamette Valley Vineyards has become the first winery to get the seal of approval.