Organic Wine

So what is the scoop with organic wines? This article tells a bit about it and also recommends some wines. The main thing I think worth noting (other than the obvious point of not using chemical pesticides when growing the grapes) is that the true organic makers can't add chemicals to adjust taste and acidity and can't add sulfites to preserve the wine (although there is some naturally occurring sulfites in wine from the fermentation process).

What does this mean for us? Well, some people think that the sulfites are what cause some of the problems people may experience when drinking wine (headache, hangover etc...). So it is possible that you may feel better if you drink an organic wine.

But watch out because"Organic" and "made from Organic ingredients" don't mean the same thing! As I discovered when I decided a taste test was in order, it is fairly easy to find wines that are "made with organic grapes" but a little more challenging to find true organic wines that are not only made from organically grown grapes but also created in a truly organic manner. You need to look for the ones that say "no sulfites added" or "no detectable sulfites".

We tested one at my birthday party a few weeks ago. It was a 2005 Pinot Noir from Amity Vineyards in California. Here were the responses from my limited tasting survey:

"Very Grape-y."

"Goes down way too easy." (I think that was a compliment.)

"Very silly for $26." (That was from my husband.)

If you are looking to try others, I also recently sampled a Bonterra Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) that was pretty good and made with organic grapes (not fully organic). I also learned that Benziger Family Winery has just received an organic certification and they have a 2005 Cabernet that is also about $15 per bottle.

Bottom line? I still haven't found an organic that I prefer to some of my other favorities but I am willing to keep trying in the name of good health!

Here is a link to another article that explains the benefits of organic wine.