Best Organic Wine for 2009
Think there’s not enough organic wine to go around? Think again. With certified organic foods making up 5% of supermarket sales, even your local supermarket probably carries a bottle or two; specialty retailers have entire sections.
Nearly five percent of California’s grapes are certified organic—that’s 12,000 acres of vineyards—with 19 wineries certified as producers, and many more using sustainable farming practices and organic grapes to create organic wines that haven’t yet been certified by a government agency. Many of these wineries aren’t just stopping at sustainable grapes: Clif Family Winery in Napa, CA, recently launched a carbon-neutral shipping program to complement their sustainably farmed wines made from organic grapes.
For those of us who like their varietals with variety, check out Denver journalist and longtime wine expert Randy Caparoso’s “Organic Wine Match of the Day” column, which comes complete with recipes or cheese recommendations. Here are a few of his favorites, complete with Caparoso’s signature mouth-watering descriptions:
2007 Frog’s Leap, Rutherford/Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (California; made from organic grapes) Crystal clear, fresh, green melon aroma with herby, grassy undertones; lemony crisp entry, become round, soft, long and slender in the middle, finishing with a light lemon and honeydew fruitiness.
2008 Pircas Negras, Torrontés (Argentina; organic grapes, vegan) Luscious white made from a grape originally indigenous to Galicia in Spain; floral, tropical fragrances suggesting papaya and avocado; off-dry (i.e. whisper of sweetness) on the palate, with slightly lemony, zesty qualities giving fresh, easy sensations.
2007 Organic Vintners, Mendocino Pinot Noir (California; organic grapes, vegan) Totally clean, lush, pure, sweet berry jam aroma with vanillin oak and peppermint leaf nuances; unabashedly soft, lush, juicy qualities on the palate; ready to drink now, while still young, plump and palpitating.
NV Organic Vintners, Tinto (Spain; organic grapes, vegan) 100% Tempranillo; richly aromatic, with black fruit and licorice and an earthy, smoked meatiness; rich, soft flavors propped up by moderate, rounded tannins, finishing long, almost sweetly fruity.
2005 Parducci, True Grit Mendocino Old Vines Petite Sirah (California; organic grapes) The Mendocino Wine Company (owner of Parducci as well as the Paul Dolan labels) applies both organic and biodynamic growing regimes. The color here is black and blue, and the nose deep and intense; studded with blueberry, blackberry, roasted coffee, toasted oak and sweet, balsamic-like nuances. Thick, bouncy, juicy qualities on the palate; the aggressive fruitiness wrapped in vanillin and dill-like oak, plumped out by slightly chewy, wham-bam tannin.
Cheers!
