What are Organic Wines? – I Know Jax
October 21, 2012My most recent TV segment for the local Jacksonville CW17 TV show I Know Jax. The show airs every Saturday at 11pm, with my segment being every other week.
Posted in Facts, News | Tagged I Know Jax, Organic, organic grapes, organic wine | Leave a comment //Wine Myths…Busted: Do all the Different Wine Bottle Shapes Mean Anything?
October 19, 2012
Click here for the rest of my Wine Myths Busted series.
Posted in Facts | Tagged wine bottle shapes, wine bottle sizes, Wine Myths Busted | Leave a comment //Imitation is the Most Sincere Form of Flattery!
October 19, 2012i knew I should have jumped on this idea earlier! I could have made a small fortune!
What we are looking at in the below picture (in the top left corner) is a Photoshopped image I created a few weeks ago. in the main picture is the ACTUAL sign that someone went ahead (after contacting me first) and created for themselves! Very cool I do have to say!
VIVA THE WINE PARTY 2012!!!
Barba Vignafranca Montepulciano, Abruzzo, Italy.
October 18, 2012
Grapes
100% Montepulciano [Mawn-teh-pool-CHA-noh] I personally always make the point of pronouncing it in as ridiculously strong of an Italian accent as possible, with plenty of hand gestures (no matter where I am): Montepulciano!!!
Facts
- The first question I always end up answering about Montepulciano (as a grape) is: “What is it most similar to?”
The best way I’ve found to describe Montepulciano is almost as a cross between Merlot and Chianti. The body and fruit personally reminds me of a juicy and medium-bodied Merlot, whereas some of the red cherry fruit and acidic backbone skews more Chianti-esque
- By Italian standards, the Barba winery is an absolute baby, and has only been pumping out vino since 1991.
- The Barba family can trace its family roots back to Naples around the 1400s. Francesco Barba served was a tax collector for Pope Sisto IV from 1471-1484.
- I’ve always found Montepulciano to be one of the most approachable Italian wines. Once people get around the pronunciation, and get it into their mouth, most people find it to be incredibly easy drinking. Coupled with the fact that the wines rarely get over $20 retail, I see no reason why you shouldn’t stick a bottle of Monte on your next wine shopping list. Seriously. Do it.
WINE FACT: What is Brix?
October 18, 2012
Understanding Organic Wine.
October 17, 2012
I know there’s a lot of confusion surrounding exactly what constitutes an organic wine. Most people probably think they have a fair understanding of what it means to be organic, but in actuality its more complex than you would think!
As you no-doubt already know, the growing of grapes is organic by design, but somewhere along the way wineries/grape growers lost their way. Of course you can’t tar all wineries with the same brush, and I’m also very quick to come to the defense of wineries who use “non-organic” practices. For the most part,I strongly believe that it’s consumers who have forced them into the position of using most of the methods that they do.
Wineries are actually quite “lucky” in the that they have more-or-less been granted a “zero transparency clause” and don’t have to list all the ingredients they’re using on their back label (unlike foods). Sulfur dioxide (A.K.A. sulfites) are the one exception.
“Wineries use ingredients!?!?” you say. Oh yes! They do indeed! It’s not a tangent I want to get off on here, I’ll save that for another time…but yes, there are plenty of ingredients in an “average” bottle of vino.
Lets get some organic wine questions answered!
So what are organic wines?
In order for a bottle to be labeled “organic,” it must be made from organically grown grapes. That’s not rocket science. The key thing to know about wines with a “organic” label is that they’re not allowed to include any added sulfites. That doesn’t mean that they don’t contain sulfites, they most certainly will contain a certain amount of naturally occurring sulfites, but the winemaker isn’t allowed to add them. So long as the wine contains sulfites levels no greater than 20 parts per million they’re good to go! I’ve said it before (but it’s always worth repeating): Sulfites do not cause the famous “red-wine headache!”
Are all organic wines created equally?
Not exactly. There is a second tier that is labeled “Made with Organic Grapes” or “Made with Organically Grown Grapes.” This category still requires the grapes to be organic; however, the winemaker is allowed to add sulfites.
That’s all fairly easy to understand so far, right? Well, not so fast! Different countries have their own rules and regs so far as what constitutes an organic wine, and so what is organic in one country won’t always be organic in another.
Why do wineries even use sulfites?
The use of sulfites is to help stabilize a wine. Sulfur dioxide (sulfites) are added to prevent oxidation of a wine or any additional microbial growth. Also, in sweet wines it helps to make sure that the wine doesn’t re-ferment in the bottle.
What must a winery do to be organic?
At the most basic understanding of the term, organic wine is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides. Techniques used as part of the winemaking process must also be organic.
Are all organic wineries sustainable?
Not necessarily, but it’s fair to say that if a winery is going to all the trouble of seeking (and paying for) organic accreditation, they will most likely take the ecology of the vineyard into account and employ sustainable agricultural practices.
Does it mean a winery who doesn’t label their bottles as organic is not an organic winery?
Nope! A HUGE number of wineries are making their wines organically, but don’t want to go through all the red tap and registration costs associated with being an accredited winery.
The famous Chateau de Beaucastel estate in the Rhone Valley region of France is one of the best examples, having farmed their vineyards organically since 1950.
No doubt a great number of wineries will also disagree with the government/accrediting body’s standards. Sometimes it can also be a marketing decision, as I’ve personally read a couple of studies that indicate organic wines don’t necessarily get the edge in the marketplace over non-organic wines, and sometimes can even be viewed negatively.
Posted in News | Tagged biodynamic, biodynamics, environmental benefits of organic wines, Organic, organic grapes, organic wine, what are organic wines, what is an organic wine | Leave a comment //← Older posts Newer posts →
