Organic Wine Journal has a fantastic photo essay on making wine at Coturri Winery. Coturi is a Sonoma, California winery that has been making wine organically since the early sixties. You get to see each stage of the process, from picking the grapes to loading the truck, crushing and de-stemming grapes to fermenting and pressing. Nicely done play-by-play for those of you who are curious about how certain wines are made. (link)

Comments (1) | March 20 - 3:01 PM

category: Organic Wine / Beer

Famous wine importer Kermit Lynch regularly offers up sampler packs of wine. Six or twelve-packs of bottles grouped under one theme or another. It is a great, and affordable way to introduce yourself to a range of new wines. For those of you dreaming of a green Christmas, the elves at Kermit Lynch have pulled together a selection of six bottles that have all been organically or bio-dynamically produced. It goes for $99 and KLWM can ship inside California and to Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The sampler includes the following wines:

2005 Bouzeron Aligote - A. et P. de Villaine
2003 Bourueil "Clos Senechal" - Catherine & Pierre Breton
2003 Lussac St.-Emilion - Chateau de Bellevue
2004 Dolcetto "Suri" - Aldo Marenco
2003 Coteaux du Languedoc "Montpeyroux" Damaine D'Aupilhac
2003 Coteaux du Languedoc "Podio Alto" Domaine du Poujol

Visit the Kermit Lynch website or call 510.524.1524.

Comments (0) | December 8 - 10:09 AM

category: Gift Ideas, Organic Wine / Beer

Thanks to a good friend hooking me up with a last minute ticket, I just got home from a tasting of prestigious California wines at the 2006 California Wine Experience. It's a Wine Spectator event where 198 wineries were pouring, the vast majority hailing from the Golden State (although a handful came from Oregon and Washington State). It was packed. Wall to wall people. I can only liken it to a rock concert for upscale wine fans with each tasting booth hosting its own mini-stage microcosm of groupies, fans, enthusiasts, and people just looking to get loaded and have a good time.

I came home with the Grand Tasting Guide - a listing of each of the wines being poured. I thought it might be helpful to list off the wines that described using organic grapes, bio-dynamic farming practices, or general sustainability for those of you looking for new wines to seek out.

Araujo Estate Wines
www.araujoestate.com
"...Four certified organics and biodynamic wines are produced at the Araujo Estate winter and caves; Cabernet Sauvignon, Altagracia, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc." Suggested retail price for the Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Eisele Vineyard 2003: $215.00

Cayuse Vineyards
www.cayusevineyards.com
"...At present Cayuse is the first and currently only biodynamic estate winery in Washington State." Suggested retail price for the Cayuse Syrah Walla Walla Valley Bionic Frog 2003: $65.00

Grgich Hills Cellar
www.grgich.com
"...With the perspective that great wines start in the vineyard, they now farm their 366 acres bio-dynamically and organically." Suggested retail price for the Grgich Hills Chardonnay Napa Valley 2004: $40.00

Marimar Estate
www.marimarestate.com
"...The winery's 60-acre organic Don Miguel Vineyard is located in the Russian River/Green Valley. An additional organic Pinot Noir vineyard, was planted in 2002 in the Freestone Valley of the Sonoma Coast." Suggested retail price of the Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Cristina Don Miguel Vineyard 2003: $47.00

Ponzi Vineyards
www.ponziwines.com
"...The family owns over 100 acres of certified sustainable vineyards in the Chehalem." Suggested retail price of the Ponzi Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Reserve 2004: $55.00

Quintessa
www.quintessa.com
"...Valeria Huneeus, in keeping with her vision as steward of the land, has guided Quintessa's evolution from sustainable farming in 1990 to a full conversion to biodynamic farming in 2005." Suggested price of the Quintessa Rutherford 2003: $120.00

Quixote Winery
www.quixotewinery.com
"...All grapes are sourced from the Doumani family's 27-acre organically-farmed Stags' Leap Ranch estate vineyard. The winery, which opens to the public by appointment for the first time in February 2007, is the only structure designed in the United States by Viennese artist-environmentalist Friedensreich Hundertwasser." Suggested retail price of the Quixote Petite Syrah Napa Valley 2003: $60.00

Tablas Creek Vineyard
www.tablascreek.com
"...They impoted selected French cuttings of Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise and multiplied, grafted and planted their own vines, which they farm organically." The suggested retail price of the Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Paso Robles 2004: $45.00

Comments (1) | October 20 - 11:03 PM

category: Lists, Organic Wine / Beer

Diamond Organics has a nice little list of organic and bio-dynamic beer, wine, and sake. You can buy by the bottle or go for a sampler. All of it shipable nationwide (next day delivery). Lot's of French and California wines, as well as a couple microbrews, and a bit of bubbly (the Can Vendrell Cava Brut Riserva is fun). Producers on their list include Heller, Frey, Ceago Estates (their Syrah Rose sounds like it might be a nice choice this time of year), Chateau Bousquette. Wolaver's and Butte Creek on the beer front.

Comments (0) | August 15 - 9:46 AM

category: Organic Wine / Beer

The 85-acre Benziger estate in Glen Allen, California is farmed completely bio-dynamically and Mike Benziger was the first to release a Demeter-certified wine in either Napa or Sonoma. Sounds good, right? The problem is that only 1% of the wine sold under the Benzinger label is bio-dynamic, the rest of the grapes are gown off the estate by contract farmers. Jonathan Russo, publisher of the Organic Wine Journal outlines the dilemma and how Benziger is working toward a sustainable future:

"Mike farms the 85-acre estate completely biodynamically. He was the first to release a Demeter-certified wine in either Napa or Sonoma. This is a serious commitment. At a recent tasting in New York, Mike demonstrated that he is passionate about biodynamics for all the right reasons: healing the earth, passing on lustrous land to his children, and producing terrific-tasting terroir-saturated wine. For these efforts, Benziger received Sunset Magazine’s first-ever Green Award last year...

...So, with high praise for taste and awards for green practices, what is the Benziger Dilemma? Well, only 1% of the wine sold under the Benziger label is biodynamic. The rest is conventional, not even organic." (read more)

Comments (0) | June 12 - 10:36 AM

category: Organic Wine / Beer

Ok, calling this a Mighty Food is a stretch, but I figured some of you might be interested in knowing there are a growing number of spirits on the market that are distilled from organic grains and ingredients. Let start with Juniper Green London Dry Gin, produced and bottled by the Organic Spirits Company in London. It is snatching up all sorts of gold medals, and if I were a frequent gin drinker (which I'm not), this might very well be my gin of choice. I tasted Juniper Green recently, and it was quite remarkable. Who knew gin could be this smooth, clean and refreshing? I tried it straight (no mixer), and for a moment I was convinced I actually might like gin. Juniper Green is produced from 100% pure organic grain, and the botanical herbs that are sourced from many parts of the world are certified organic as well.

Comments (0) | February 13 - 8:41 AM

category: Organic Wine / Beer

Jancis Robinson contributing to the San Francisco Chronicle writes about the growing number of French wineries going bio-dynamic. She rattles off a laundry list of French producers who have moved over entirely to biodynamic viticulture and talks about how this method of growing differs from modern 'conventional' farming methods.

To the outsider, his vineyards look a mess, and his vines with their yellow-green leaves look much less regular than the dark green ones of his neighbors with their bare, herbicided soil underneath. He snorted at these over-fertilized plants, the added nitrogen darkening their leaves. ( Read More )

Comments (0) | February 2 - 1:37 PM

category: Organic Wine / Beer, Studies + Trends

If you're looking to shape a wine collection around wines made with organically grown grapes, this list is a great place to start. Patty Lenartz of Brooklyn's Slope Cellars offers up a range of suggestions depending on how deep your pockets go. For those of you on a budget - she outlines a $500 starter cellar, she then shows you how to build on that toward the $1500, and $3000 level. Here is a peek at the whites she outlines at the $500 level - make the jump to see her reds and the $1500 and $3000 cellars:

White Case
1. Alzinger Gruner Veltliner Wachau 2002
2. Marcel Deiss Muscat d’Alsace 2001
3. Etienne Riffault “Seveldra” Sancerre 2002
4. Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut de Normandie
5. Binner Vin d’Alsace Riesling 2001
6. Robert Sinskey Vineyards Chardonnay 2002
7. Ferrando Erbaluce di Caluso Cariola 2003
8. Pircas Begras Argentina Torrontes 2004
9. Maniciat Recolte Macon Charnay 2003
10. Sinskey Vineyards Vin Gris 2004
11. Chance Creek Sauvignon Blanc Redwood Valley CA 2002
12. Tablas Creek Cote de Tablas Blanc Paso Robles CA 2002

( Read more )

Comments (1) | February 1 - 1:32 PM

category: Lists, Organic Wine / Beer

Setting up shop in a renovated tattoo parlor, Craig Nicholls and Jason McAdam opened Roots Organic Brewery early last year. This is Portland's first 100 percent organic microbrewery, and is available on tap around the city (or you can take home to-go growlers for $13). We'll give you the heads up when/if they start bottled distribution. Worth noting: Several of their beers are brewed entirely hopless using traditional brewing herbs like heather, chamomile, and lavender.

Have a closer look at a few of their beers followed by their house tasting notes:

Island Red: We call this a Red Stout. Very full bodied complex ale brewed with a good amount of oats which help give this RED a very rich and creamy head. 5.6% ABV

Pond Turtle Pale Ale: A nice example of an English style Pale. Light amber in color. Light body and a creamy head makes this our perfect session beer. A % of the sales from this beer will support the Wildlife foundation fund at the Oregon Zoo. 5.3% ABV

Burghead Heather Ale: Based on a 3000 year old recipe. This award winning beer may be the most interesting beer you've ever had! Made with no hops but with heather tips. 5.5% ABV

English Strong Bitter: Our Bitter is deep copper Ale that's a bit hoppier than most with a great roast profile brought out by the crystal malts & finished with the delicate aroma of Galena hops. 7.2% ABV

Toasted Coconut Porter: (Fall Seasonal) A med. bodied London style ale, with a slight hint of roast malt & backed by the subtle, sweet tropical, hand roasted coconut flakes. 5.0% ABV

Tour the brewery.

Comments (0) | January 15 - 9:48 AM

category: Menus, Organic Wine / Beer

Tired of getting the crazy eye when you ask for wines made with organically grown grapes? Meet Scott Pactor. His West Chelsea wine boutique, Appellation, is packed full of organic, bio-dynamic, and naturally produced wines. Want to try before you buy? He hosts nightly tastings. Appellation also makes their wines available online for those of you outside the Big Apple.

Comments (0) | December 28 - 5:03 PM

category: Organic Wine / Beer

Peter Scholey racks up brewer awards the way we rack up parking tickets. He is a top notch brewer and has won "Champion Organic Beer of Britain" more times than anyone else. Here's what Peter has to say about drinking organic beer in and interview with Organicfood.co.uk:

There is a lot of rubbish written about beer in general and an equally large amount about organic beer so be warned my opinion may not agree with conventional wisdom or hearsay... ( Read More )

Comments (0) | December 20 - 10:38 AM

category: Interviews/Profiles, Organic Wine / Beer

The interest in farmer's markets has exploded in the past decade, alongside growing participation in CSA programs - all this interest in the quality of our produce makes us wonder why foodies aren't more choosy about their juice? Why isn't there more mainstream interest in wine made from organic vines? We all know grapes are heavily sprayed.

The vast majority of wine shops out there don't have a dedicated organic section and meals that are painstakingly prepared with local, sustainably-farmed, organic ingredients are almost always served alongside conventionally produced wine. What's up? We know that many of them used to taste crappy, but much has changed in the last ten years.

Post your favorite organic wines (with a description) to the comments.

Vinography on Organic and Biodynamic Wines
IHT on Italy's elegant organic wines
Parade Magazine: Make Mine Organic!

Producers:
Coturri: http://www.coturriwinery.com/order.html
Frey Vineyard: http://www.freywine.com/freywine/
Cooper Mountain: http://www.coopermountainwine.com/
Bonterra: http://www.bonterra.com/home.html
http://www.frogsleap.com/
Imports: http://www.chartrandimports.com/impwinespos.html

Comments (6) | December 15 - 5:55 PM

category: Lists, Organic Wine / Beer

Here's a snapshot of the Jack Falstaff “back to the land” wine list. A nice slice of the Falstaff wine list features juice from organic or biodynamic producers. Excerpt below, click here to download the PDF.

Champagne + Sparkling Wine:
Fleury Brut
Larmandier Bernier Brut NV

Aromatic Whites:
Aligote La Bete 2004 Willamette Valley
Riesling “Vieilles Vignes” Ehrhardt 2002 Alsace
Riesling Smaragd “Loibenberg” Emmerich Knoll 2002 Austria
Savennieres Clos Des Perrieres Tijou 1999 Loire
Soave Corte Sant’Alda 2003 Italy
Chante-Alouette” (Marsanne Blend) Chapoutier 2002 Rhone

Chardonnay:
Adastra 2002 Carneros
Pouilly-Vinzelles Bret Brothers 2002 Burgundy
Brickhouse “Cascadia” 2003 Willamette Valley
Chassagne Montrachet “Morgeot” Coutoux 2002 Burgundy
Flowers “Andreen Gale Cuvee”, 2003 Sonoma Coast
St. Veran “ En Combe” Bret Brothers 2002 Burgundy
Puligny-Montrachet “Les Enseigneres” Girardin 2003 Burgundy
Littorai “Mays Canyon”2003 Russian River Valley

See the entire wine list.

Comments (0) | November 21 - 9:39 AM

category: Menus, Organic Wine / Beer

Here's a sample of the Autumn entree menu at Millennium restaurant in San Francisco. We'll take one of each please. Have a look at their artisan, organic wine list as well.

Blue Hubbard Squash Risotto
sautéed winter greens & golden chanterelle mushrooms, black chanterelle mushroom reduction

Black Sesame Seed Noodle Phò
blue oyster & matsutake mushrooms, rich mushroom broth, sauté of julienne burdock & carrot, traditional sprout, jalapeño & Asian aromatic garnish

Mung Bean Sprout & Scallion Crepe
sauté of Asian vegetables, marinated seitan, shiitake mushrooms, Thai style red coconut curry sauce, pineapple-kumquat sambal

Korean Glazed Tempeh
soba noodle rolls, house-made kim-chi, satsuma mandarins, enoki mushroom, sweet tamarind bbq sauce

Pecan Crusted Portobello
creamy roasted garlic polenta, sauté of mixed chicories & black olive-leek confit, Syrah reduction, gypsy pepper cream

Truffled White Bean Cassoulet
wild rice & parsnip griddle cake, sautéed broccoli di Cicco, shaved Himalayan truffles

Comments (0) | November 20 - 11:43 AM

category: Menus, Organic Wine / Beer, Vegan / Veg