That said, Valentina’s UK importer, Les Caves de Pyrene, has said it has weighed up the allegations and chosen to “stand by” the producer.
The company’s managing director, Amy Morgan, told the drinks business that: “Ethical sourcing, and the fair treatment of workers in all aspects of our supply chain is paramount to us and, in this vein, we feel it would be both unethical and unfair of us to condemn Valentina for the alleged actions of her father. We have spoken at length with Valentina herself and are assured that she was not aware of any such exploitation, has had no part to play in the activities that her father has been accused of, and is devastated by the allegations.”
She concluded that should further evidence arise to the contrary, “then we will of course act accordingly. In the meantime however, we will continue to list her wines and do our best to represent and support her as we always have.”