Organic Wines for the Holidays
By Heleigh Bostwick
Your
holiday table is nearly picture perfect. The vintage cloth
napkins you purchased on a whim match perfectly
with your holiday
décor. The napkin rings, candlestick holders and even
your stemware are made of recycled materials. Platters are piled
high with organic fruits and vegetables and hormone- and antibiotic-free
meat and dairy products.
What’s missing from this picture? Organic wine, of course!
Perhaps you’ve considered giving organic wines a try but,
from what little you know about organic wines, have decided they
couldn’t be much more than a step up from vinegar.
Despite
what you may have heard previously, this is no longer true.
Organic wines have improved tremendously
over the past
15 years and are now on par with most “regular” wines,
receiving favorable ratings in the ‘80s and ‘90s
by wine experts like Robert Parker and winning awards in wine
competitions. Unfortunately, though, there is still some confusion
about what an organic wine really is.
What is organic wine?
Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic
Program, a wine can only use the word “organic” on
the label if it is made with certified organically grown grapes,
contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of sulfites and
has no additional sulfites added during the winemaking process.
If
a wine is made with certified organically grown grapes but
contains more than 20 ppm (and less than 100
ppm) of sulfites,
it may be labeled “made with certified organically grown
grapes.” Under the current USDA regulations, it cannot
technically be called an organic wine. Most consumers refer to
both of these wines as organic.
USDA
labeling practices are a bone of contention with those in the
organic wine industry. “Some sulfites occur naturally
in all wines and minimal amounts of sulfites are added during
the winemaking process to preserve and stabilize wine. Wines
made with organically certified grapes containing less than 100
ppm of sulfites are essentially 99.99% organic, yet can’t
be labeled organic.
In
no other category of the food and beverage industry do these
same requirements apply in order for a product
to be labeled organic,” says Barnet (Barney) Feinblum,
the president, CEO and founder of Organic Vintners. He is also
former chairman and CEO of Horizon Organic Dairies and former
chairman, CEO and president of Celestial Seasonings.
To
add to the confusion, many people consider vegan and biodynamic
wines to be organic wines as well, but
this isn’t always
the case. Vegan and biodynamic wines may be organic wines or
made from certified organically grown grapes — or they
may be neither.
Vegan
wines are made entirely without animal products and use bentonite
clay or carbon instead of egg whites
or casein, a type of milk protein, during the clarification
process. Biodynamic wines use grapes grown under a specific
sustainable
farming practice developed in Europe in the 20th century and
still used today by some vineyards in the United States and
Europe.
A surprising variety of organics
Whether you like red wine, white wine, dessert wine or champagne,
there is an organic wine to suit your style, budget and taste.
Depending on your location and community, your local wine store
may carry a reasonable selection of organic wines; however,
the best place to buy organic wines is online — especially
now that interstate wine shipping regulations have changed.
Holiday picks
Ceago Vinegarden, one of the leaders in the California biodynamic
and organic wine industry, offers these recommendations for
your holiday table.
• Ceago Vinegarden 2004 "Jeriko Vineyard" Chardonnay
Made with grapes certified organic by the California Certified
Organic Farmers (CCOF), this fine, ripe-flavored wine has rich
aromas of banana cream, cinnamon and pear and pairs well with
turkey, ham, fish and vegetarian dishes as well as hors d’oeuvres.
•
Ceago Vinegarden 2001 "Camp Lema" Merlot This merlot
is grown and certified Biodynamic by Demeter. It has aromas of
anise, cherry and mocha plus hints of cinnamon and vanilla and
pairs well with a traditional roast beef dinner.
•
Ceago Vinegarden 2001 "Camp Masut" Cabernet Sauvignon
Grown and certified Biodynamic by Demeter, this elegant wine
has incredible cherry aromas with a hint of violet and flavors
of black currant, raspberry and mocha. It pairs well with many
vegetarian dishes as well as roast beef.
•
Jeriko Estate NV Brut The first sparkling wine in the United
States to be made with certified (CCOF) organically grown grapes,
this crisp sparkling wine with a hint of almond is perfect for
any occasion — as an aperitif, with dessert or with hors
d’oeuvres.
Cheers!
© Heleigh
Bostwick
Heleigh Bostwick is a freelance writer based in Vermont. She
is the editor of All
Info About Parenting Multiples and publisher
of Marigold Lane, an online resource for simple living with
a green twist.
