green cork By
Mike Muirhead, Sommelier ( ISG, CMS ), CSW
This summer, I received the gift of four months of organic produce delivered to my door. Even for the short Manitoba growing season, I loved trying all the fruits and veggies grown locally and organically. As I enjoyed working my organic produce into a summer of fresh, beautiful meals, I started thinking about the organic moniker and all it implies. In almost every instance, “ organic ” is equated to better, more flavourful, and high-quality product; in the wine world, however, organic does not guarantee a “ better ” product.
My main issue with organic wine production is how it differs from my big, fresh baskets of produce. Growing organic fruit ( not to simplify our good farmers ’ work ) involves one process: you grow it and you sell it. As soon as you add a second, man-made process into a product, like winemaking, you run the risk of messing things up. Being simply “ organic ” without mastering growing and winemaking techniques does not automatically produce a quality final product.
This is where most organic wines I try fall flat. With great marketing backing their product, producers get to sell lots of wine under the “ organic ” label; unfortunately, good marketing, and even organic certification, does not guarantee good farming or winemaking. If you start with low-quality juice, there isn ’ t much that can be done to save the end-product during winemaking.
When we are looking for wine for the store, sustainable practices are a benefit, and most of the producers that we find interesting also share this view. But first and foremost, the wine has to be good, and organic does not always mean good. We have wineries that practice “ sustainable winemaking practices,” others that are “ carbon neutral.” With so many different organic certifications, it can be confusing as to what points to quality, and what points to good marketing.
We look to producers in Italy and France, who, for centuries, have been producing wine organically and sustainably, the way their ancestors taught them. There is no sticker on the bottle; it is not on their website. Sustainable practices aren ’ t a marketing strategy, they are tradition. The only reason we know they exist is because we asked!
We are also seeing a trend towards wine regions focusing on what is best for their land and their people. I have recently travelled to two different regions that have created their own set of rules to govern sustainable farming, human resources, and winemaking practices: Lodi ( California ) and Oregon.
The Lodi certification process is called “ Lodi Rules,” and it takes into account how the vineyards are developed and farmed, including creating habitats for local flora and fauna, while making sure employee working conditions are safe, comfortable, and provide living wages.
In Oregon, there are many different certifying bodies, but one of the most interesting is called LIVE ( Low Impact Viticultural & Enology ). LIVE certifies vineyards for following international guidelines for environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic accountability. Creating certification in regions that have a passion for making high-quality wine means that qualifications increasingly focus on quality from the vineyard to the winery.
All of these new standards and practices are raising the bar to create a better environment in both the vineyard and the winery. But remember, don ’ t rely solely on what the label says. You should also trust your palate. �
LIVE INC www. liveinc. org Cristom Vineyards was founded by Paul Gerrie, an engineer who travelled to Bordeaux to study traditional winemaking methods before moving to Oregon to establish his certified LIVE vineyard. Banville & Jones carries the following Cristom Vineyards wines: Marjorie Vineyard 2006 Pinot Noir – $ 65.99 Mt Jefferson Cuvee 2006 Pinot Noir – $ 66.99 Sommers Reserve 2005 Pinot Noir – $ 58.99
Lodi Rules www. lodiwine. com / lodirules _ home1. shtml Liz and Markus Bokisch are leaders in Lodi Rules, and their wines are some of the most unique out of Lodi, concentrating solely on Spanish varieties. Ask our wine experts about the following Bokisch Vineyard wines: 2008 Albariño – $ 23.99 2007 Graciano – $ 35.99 2007 Tempranillo – $ 29.99 2008 Garnacha Blanca – $ 25.99
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