![]() |
Photo: Matthew Rogers (CCL) |
I completely love the idea of more natural growing and
farming even though I know deep down we would not have enough food to eat without
some more intensive practices. But I can’t (along with most of us I suspect)
say that I buy organic produce as much as I would like, either down to price or
availability.
I have, however, found particular things that I ALWAYS buy organic, and it’s purely due to the better taste; garlic is much stronger and thus you use less, and organic milk and dairy produce to me is much fresher tasting somehow.
I have, however, found particular things that I ALWAYS buy organic, and it’s purely due to the better taste; garlic is much stronger and thus you use less, and organic milk and dairy produce to me is much fresher tasting somehow.
Photo at Bonterra Vineyards from my visit in Nov 2013 |
I am lucky enough to work with organic (and biodynamic) wines in my day to day life, and am often left questioning the value of organic on the product, and in particular on wines... Does it encourage consumers to pick up the
bottle, or does it have the opposite affect? Do we intrinsically assume that as
it’s organic, the price must be higher and the quality lesser than those at the
same price? Or do we naturally assume all grapes for wines are organic anyway?
Well, from my own experience, and drawing
on some time spent with Bonterra (USA) winemakers Bob Blue and Dennis Martin (both of whom have pioneered organic growing since the 1980s - WAY before it
was ‘cool’) and Adolfo Hurtado from Cono Sur (Chile), organic grapes give wines a true expression of how they
should be - the true depth of flavours, the characteristics, the yields, the
intensity - its all how it is ‘supposed’ to be.
The flavours are clean and you can dig around a bit and find perhaps the earthy flavour you hoped for in that Pinot Noir, or the fresh, bright citrusy flavours you might expect in that Chardonnay. But, aside from the tasting notes which we all talk about, you can find a true product, crafted from grapes that have been grown with only natural fertilisers, water (Bonterra actually use their own reserves so not to pull from local water sources), soil and natural pesticides (Cono Sur in Chile release geese onto their vines to eat all the bugs).
In addition, the skill of growing grapes good enough to make wine from - and doing it naturally - is a pretty impressive skill in itself, and when this skill and brilliant winemaking comes together? Well, the wines are, in my opinion - awesome. I’m not saying all organic wines are amazing like I would never say all Sauvignon Blanc is amazing…. But you really will feel it when you get a good one.
The flavours are clean and you can dig around a bit and find perhaps the earthy flavour you hoped for in that Pinot Noir, or the fresh, bright citrusy flavours you might expect in that Chardonnay. But, aside from the tasting notes which we all talk about, you can find a true product, crafted from grapes that have been grown with only natural fertilisers, water (Bonterra actually use their own reserves so not to pull from local water sources), soil and natural pesticides (Cono Sur in Chile release geese onto their vines to eat all the bugs).
In addition, the skill of growing grapes good enough to make wine from - and doing it naturally - is a pretty impressive skill in itself, and when this skill and brilliant winemaking comes together? Well, the wines are, in my opinion - awesome. I’m not saying all organic wines are amazing like I would never say all Sauvignon Blanc is amazing…. But you really will feel it when you get a good one.
As consumers, even if it's just once a year, maybe it’s good
to reflect on the amazing amounts of natural resources that go into our
favourite things; and wines and spirits are no exception. So, as a celebration of ‘Earth
Day’, albeit a little late, try
something organic or environmentally friendly this weekend, and see if you can
taste the difference.
If you’re thinking of some pretty amazing wines - which happen to be organic - the
Bonterra range (made by Bob Blue himself) is available from both Waitrose, Ocado & Tesco - the
Chardonnay is my favourite white wine (bold statement I know- but it is SERIOUSLY
good), and the Zinfandel is a truly Californian variety which is currently Tesco’s wine
of the week.
Let me know if you try an Organic wine/spirit/beer this weekend, and how it was for you!
No comments:
Post a Comment