ORGANIC WINES

Things you should know about our organic wines

1.Organic grapes grow much more easily in drier, wanner areas. The climates of the south of France, California, Chile, Greece and parts of Spain and Italy are conducive to organic farming.

2.The health of the soil is key for the organic grape grower – without it, the vines will struggle.

3.Some grape varieties and wine styles are better suited to “sulphur-free” aging, such as a hefty, tannic Zinfandel, instead of a delicate. aromatic white, such as Riesling.

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4.It takes between three and five years, depending on the regulations of the country, to convert a traditional vineyard into an organic one.

5.Many wineries are technically organic but choose not to be certified for various reasons. They may not want to go through the bureaucracy and cost of registering, or they may not agree with the government’s standards. But without certification, they cannot use the term “organic” on their label.

Better wines for the planet and for you

Organic wines are made without using any unnatural chemicals, such as herbicides and pesticides, which are added to vines to kill weeds and pests. So when you buy organic wine, you’ll be getting wines that are kinder to both the soil and you, reducing the build up of non-natural toxins within your body. If you find that you ever get a headache after drinking a glass of wine, it’s likely to be due to the chemical residues in the wine – try an organic wine for a change and you are bound to see the difference.

Dedicated winemakers

For a winemaker, deciding to produce organic wines is a very brave decision and exposes them to a lot more hard work, dedication and risk when it comes to attending to their vines. Inspections are needed daily to check for disease and pests, and winemakers have to rely on natural predators and eco-friendly agents whose effectiveness depends on thorough nurturing, care and an awful lot of extra work. But one thing is for sure when you buy organic wine, you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ll be buying wine from dedicated winemakers.

A better tasting wine

Due to the shear hard work and care that is required when it comes to producing organic wines, you can be certain that you’ll be getting a wine from a winemaker who has done all they possibly can to bring you the best quality possible.

Organic wine – the perfect match for organic food

To really make the most from your organic wines, team them with some organic meat, fish and vegetables for a perfect match.

Value for money

Even though organic vines often produce lower yields and require a lot more manual labour, they rarely cost more (if at all) than normal wines. Why? Because organic wines have faced a degree of criticism over the years and organic winemakers are having to do all they possibly can to change this opinion.

New and exciting wines

Wrth organic wines increasingly available, you’ll have a wide variety of wines to choose from. You may even come across some organic wines made from unusual or unfamiliar grapes. However. don’t be put off — most winemakers are simply playing to nature’s strengths, growing what’s best suited to their soils and what will grow unaided.
So why not take the time to sample a few and stock up.