Pure Flavors: Wine Made the Natural Way

Pure Flavors: Wine Made the Natural Way

 

            Wine is a natural beverage with a history stretching back thousands of years. The growing recent interest in organic, biodynamic and sustainable vineyard practices reflects larger concerns we have about our health and environment. While it’s confusing that there are so many different certifying agencies and diverse approaches, many of the best winemakers worldwide are subscribing to a common set of practices in the way that they farm (minimizing or eliminating the use of synthetic chemicals), social responsibility in the way both employees and the environment are treated and production techniques focused on energy efficiencies and minimal waste in packaging.

 

            Winemakers embracing this viewpoint are committed to controlling pests naturally by the use of organic predators in the vineyard and treating soils with recycled materials like composts and other natural preparations as opposed to the conventional method of applying chemical sprays. Vineyards farmed organically tend to be biologically diverse, committed to controlling pests by having several species of insect and other animal life coexisting within the same ecological habitat. While each region has an organic certifying body, it’s generally required that vineyards are free of artificial inputs for at least three years and the practices are monitored annually to insure compliance. (Note: there is a difference between “wine made from organically grown grapes,” which allow the use of more sulfur dioxide in the winery to preserve the wine, and “organic wine” which permits a much smaller addition of SO2.)

 

Biodynamics, an agricultural philosophy developed in the 1920’s, goes a step further than conventional organics. A reaction to the rampant use of agro-chemicals, it views the vineyard as a living organism. Grape growing is governed on the basis of dynamic energy relationships among the plant, animal and mineral kingdoms, micro-organic life is encouraged to nourish the soils and vineyard practices follow the lunar cycle. Biodynamic producers develop homeopathic preparations from substances in their vineyards (including cow manure, quartz crystals, chamomile, nettles and oak bark) to regenerate soil health and bring vitality to the vines.

 

Winemakers that I have spoken to worldwide insist that organic and biodynamic techniques work to produce more flavorful grapes expressive of the specific vineyard conditions, while also providing a healthier environment in which to work. It is easier to practice this form of grape growing in less humid climates that have cold winters, but organic principles are being embraced from California to Chile and the Loire Valley to Alsace. Even producers who don’t bother to get certified (and these are the majority) are able to work organically in many areas because the vines are naturally healthy and dry growing season weather patterns require little if any artificial inputs. An increasing number of these wines are showing up on our wine lists, not because they are from organic grapes per se, but because they are delicious, expressing pure authentic flavors of the vineyards where they grow.

 

We don’t select our wines on the basis of their being made from organic or biodynamically grown grapes, but because we think they stand out among their peers. Among some of the recent additions that you might want to try when visiting Legal Sea Foods are the following:

 

Marc Kreydenweiss “Andlau” Riesling, Alsace (biodynamic)

 

Casa Marin “Les Cipreses” Sauvignon Blanc, San Antonio, Chile (organically farmed)

 

Cono Sur “Vision” Pinot Noir, Colchagua Valley, Chile (biodynamic)

 

Emiliana “Coyam”, Colchagua Valley, Chile (organically grown grapes)

 

Gaston Huet “Le Haut Lieu” Vouvray, Loire Valley (biodynamic)

 

Nicolas Joly “Le Clos Sacre” Savennieres, Loire Valley (biodynamic)

 

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre, Loire Valley (biodynamic)

 

Domaine Baudry “Clos Guillot” Chinon, Loire Valley (biodynamic)

 

Domaine Zind Humbrecht Riesling, Alsace (biodynamic)

           

Benziger Family Winery “Signaterra” Shone Farm, Sauvignon Blanc      (biodynamic)

           

Tablas Creek Mourvedre, Paso Robles (organically grown grapes)