Organic wine

A wine can be defined “organic” when it is made with 100% organic grapes grown without the use of synthetic chemicals in the vineyards, while the vinification process must take place with a limited use of certified sulphites and oenological organic products.

  • Adega Cooperativa dos Biscoitos was founded in 1999, in the Parish of Biscoitos, on the island of Terceira, Azores. In the century In the 16th century, the Biscoitos wine took on a notable importance when supplying the Caravelas on the Indies and Spices route. Among the products supplied to supply the fleets, there was Verdelho wine. This micro-region Biscoitos, is volcanic to the core, made from Verdelho grape variety. The location is part of UNESCO World Heritage. Wine is currently produced here only on a mere 9 hectares.  The vineyards are planted in the so-called ‘curraletas’ of Biscoitos, part of the landscape and heritage of the Terceira Island. The vines grow on volcanic soils, surrounded by magma rocks that protect them from the strong winds of the Atlantic, originating a unique and special wine. Stunning wine that is worth every penny.      
  • Adeus is the same in Galician as it is Portuguese and means ''Goodbye''. It is also the title of a Galician poem done by one of the most famous poets of Galicia, Rosalia de Castro. One worth that stays in between the love for her land and a homage to a woman that means so much for the history of Galicia. The Ribeiro is 45 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean and is situated in the middle of Valleys that protects it from the Atlantic winds. With 3 Rivers crossing has excellent conditions to produce wine. An excellent pair to grilled octopus with white asparagus garnish, monkfish fillet with stewed spinach and shrimps in garlic sauce    
  • Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is the representation of an ambitious and innovative project of the Soares family, who have transformed a piece of Alentejo land, into one of the most beautiful and charismatic estates in the Alentejo. Located in Albernoa and currently possessing 80 hectares of vineyards, it is here that wines full of personality are created, whose labels are based on the children's drawings of their offspring. In addition to the focus on vines and wine, the estate is also farmed for olive groves and olive oil production, as well as rural and wine tourism activities.
  • António Madeira is a Frenchman with Portuguese roots who considers that the heart of Dão, one of Portugal’s most interesting wine regions, is in the Serra do Estrela, which is where he can trace his Portuguese roots back to. Madeira has been researching the area since 2010, and he has managed to rescue interesting vineyards with abandoned old vines growing an impressive number of native varieties. This is winemaking that dates back a long time, where the plots have special granite soils, a good altitude and sun exposure and they are cultivated with great care for the environment. All of these factors result in authentic wines, with an honest personality. An excellent return to origins.
  • Made in a Beaujolais style, with the carbonic maceration method.  This juicy ''Joven'' fresh fruited style of Rioja has zero oak influence as it ages in concrete tanks for 6 months. Farmed without any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Arturo Blanco was once asked what the philosophy at Bodegas Artuke was and he simply replied 'we are farmers'. The approach here is 100% focused on interpreting the family's 32 plots which are split between the villages of Baños de Ebro and Ábalos in Rioja Alavesa. Biodynamic techniques are employed in the vineyards and Arturo and Kike are also busy recovering old, ignored plots of ancient vines. Vinification is aimed at expressing the characteristics of the vineyard and quality of fruit above all else. The restrained use of oak and inclination towards different types/sizes of barrel, plus an unwillingness to adhere to the subscribed regimes for classification means that Artuke are precluded from using Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva designations on their wines. This mouth-watering red wine takes a relatively deep chill which makes it a versatile pairing with all types of food: tuna, pretty much anything made with zucchini, fried chicken, gooey cheese sandwiches, pizza, etc…
  • Rafael Palacios is the son of D. José Palacios Remondo (founder of Bodegas Palacios Remondo) and the brother of Alvaro Palacios(Priorat) but ultimately a passionate producer of white wine. After producing his first white at the family-run winery, called Plácet, he decided to set up his own winery in Galicia, in the Valle del Bibei, under the Valdeorras denomination. Established in 2004, Rafael Palacios has rapidly become one of Spain’s greatest producers of white wine. His focus is on the local variety Godello, grown in a small estate on very old vines that are up to 90 years old from the areas steep-sided, terraced vineyards and have been cultivated with respect of the land, without using any type of herbicide or pesticide. Rafael Palacios is refining his work year after year, reaching the magic of the greatest wines. A top wine, and one to keep. Grub pairing suggestions are mild Asian dishes, Moroccan specialities, fish ragout with saffron sauce Risotto ai frutti di mar  
  • The Babich family hails from Croatia and first bought land in New Zealand in 1916.  The winery is now in its third generation.  Fruit for this wine comes from a variety of its estate-owned vineyards which are sustainable or organic.  Most of the juice for this wine is fermented in stainless steel with a small percentage in old oak. Crafted with food in mind-weighty, ripe, tropical fruit, flavoured style, rich and rounded. Pair it with veal, seafood (oysters) or a chicken dish.
  • Family Estates Organic Marlborough Chardonnay; a complex style of Chardonnay grown in our Headwaters vineyard in Marlborough. The cooler climate and alluvial soils of Marlborough deliver flavour and varietal complexity that is reflective of the region and our winemaker’s commitment to sustainably crafting the most drinkable New Zealand wines in the world. This organic Chardonnay wine would go well with poultry or fish or vegetable medley.
  • Sábalo is produced from 100% ecological Palomino Fino grapes and it is a spectacular wine, the true fruit of our many years of expertise. The grapes used to produce this wine are harvested in the white albariza soils of Sanlúcar, and as such the sea, the marshlands and the Guadalquivir River all form part of what is essentially Sábalo’s DNA.
  • Sette is a splendid vineyard in Nizza, Monferrato, with five and a half hectares of vines aged between 20 and 75 years old. Purchased in 2017 by friends Gianluca Colombo and Gino Della Porta, they set about converting the property to organic farming immediately. The vines benefit from the abundance of chalk that characterizes the soil and has an altitude of 200 meters above sea level.  Whilst a great array of fruit trees can be found throughout the vineyard, commitment has been made to plant more than 40 old tree varieties of local fruit and tall trees per year. Main dishes featuring red meat, Meat or mushroom-based pasta or rice dishes, Meat-based pasta or rice dishes
  • Casa Ferreirinha, was acquired by Sogrape Vinhos in 1987, its wines are synonymous with time and art. This has happened since its foundation, in the 18th century, by the hand of Bernardo Ferreira, who saw the formula refined by his descendants, especially by his granddaughter Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, who affectionately became known as "Ferreirinha" or "Ferreirinha-da-Régua" for the people of that land. Through the hands of Dona Antónia, who twice widowed herself at the head of a large company, Ferreira consolidated itself admirably. Her entrepreneurial spirit taught her to foresee, decide, create, teach and love, making her a figure of great projection and charisma. Barca Velha is the result of the passion of Fernando Nicolau de Almeida (Casa Ferreirinha Head Winemaker in 1952), who envisioned a high quality Douro Red Wines made with the aging potential of Vintage Ports. The first harvest was 1952. Barca Velha is only released in exceptional years, current head winemaker Luis Sottomayor began his career at this house as an apprentice learning directly from Fernando Nicolau D'Almeida. ''2011 was an extraordinary year-one of the best ever in Douro-Intense and exceptional quality. When this wine was born, we soon realized that it would be destined for Barca-Velha”. But even so, it was necessary to pass the great test of time with distinction. In the barrels, first, and then in the bottle, it was followed and evaluated over nine years, until the final decision was made.
  • Bardos Romantica is a red wine from Ribera del Duero, produced by Bodegas Bardos, belonging to the Vintae Group, which are known to produce wines in twelve different Spanish regions, such as the Hacienda López from Haro. Made from 100% Tinta del País (Tempranillo). The grapes come from a rigorous selection of low yielding old vines located in the highlands of the central plateau in Onesimus Quintanilla (Valladolid). The grapes, once collected, are transported to the winery in boxes of 15 kilos and small trailers. Here a selection of bunches is made on tables. Subsequent fermentation and maceration is carried out in vats at a temperature of 28ªC for 3 or 4 weeks. Once fermented and macerated, Bardos Romantica undergoes a malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, with a weekly beating and strict control of each barrel. Finally, Bardos Romantica is aged for 14 months in barrels of one and two years in French oak, located in underground cellars where the temperature is maintained throughout the year at around 14ºC. Bardos Romantica is a soft and original wine. After all the technicalities all I can say is a great wine, enjoy it, share it!  
  • Bardos Verdejo is a wine made from 100% Verdejo from vineyards that are 20-25 years old, located in Rueda, at more than 700 metres of altitude on stony soils. The harvest is carried out at night, at temperatures below 15ºC. The fermentation is done with local yeasts at a controlled temperature and the wine rests on its lees for at least 4 months, gaining complexity and texture. On the nose, the intense aromas of fruit such as white peach combine with cut grass, citrus, balsamic and mineral notes. In the mouth it has a good volume and persistence, well integrated acidity and a characteristic aniseed aftertaste, typical of the grape. Really a high quality example of this native Spanish variety. Excellent with light bites, starters, salads and white fish. All of the wines by De Bardos are crafted by hand in a fully artisan manner.    
  • Telmo Rodriguez of Basque origin, studied wine at the Institute of Oenology in Bordeaux, before doing internships with Cos d’Estournel, Jean Louis Chave and Trevallon . He also worked in the vinification of wines from the family estate of Remelluri, in Rioja. Then, in 1990, with an investment of just a few thousand euros, he launched his own winery. He buys grapes to produce his first wines. His first plots of property did not arrive until 1997, in Rioja. Paradoxical for someone who was dying to explore new regions. One of the main principles of Telmo Rodriguez is that of respecting the Spanish tradition of cultivating the vine in goblet, because this method of managing the vine protects it from the great heat of Iberian vineyards. He is fiercely opposed to the fashion of trellising vineyards and only buys vines that respect his ideal. Telmo also works in biodynamics but, showing great common sense, he admits that he only does it for the respect of the land and that the mention of organic viticulture has no importance in his eyes. The important thing is that the result is a balanced and tasty wine. The name comes from the 40-year-old 'baso' or bush-trained vines that are planted on limestone-rich soils at over 700-meters elevation on a plateau along the Duero River. Soils are made of gravel from fluvial terraces, erosion slopes and glacis. Pairs great with comfort food, Tapas and Tortillas of all sorts  
  • Located in Crouttes-sur-Marne, about 25km east of Meaux, the Bourgeois Diaz vineyard comprises 6.80 hectares of vines, of which 3.5 hectares are planted with Pinot Meunier, 2 with Pinot Noir and 1.3 with Chardonnay. The vines are on average 40 years old and have their roots in soils of clay, silt and chalk . Jérôme is the fourth generation of winegrowers on his father's side. His wife Charlotte, joined the estate in 2016, and today plays an important role in overseeing the estate, helping to develop the quality of the Champagnes. No pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, no technological manipulation, the wines of Jérôme and Charlotte are not only cared for, they are loved. The estate has been certified in organic and biodynamic viticulture since 2014. The biodynamic preparations 5 00P (twice a year) and 501 (3 to 4 times a year) are combined with low doses of copper and sulfur, horsetail decoctions, nettle, wicker, meadowsweet, chamomile, yarrow herbal teas, etc. Green manures are sown every other row, and an agro-forestry project was launched in 2019 (planting of 50 trees in a plot of 45 ares). Most of the work is done manually, foot by foot, to bring the maximum attention to the vines, which explains why the estate employs almost one person per hectare year-round. The harvest is manual, and most of the pickers are regulars, knowing the terroir and the state of mind of the estate. The bunches are harvested when ripe and sorted, so as to bring in grapes only in perfect sanitary condition. Disgorged on 01/12/2019 after 5 years of ageing, this non-dosed brut nature Champagne is straight, ample and deep, with great complexity brought by the long aging in the bottle Pair it with Lobster, bar carpaccio, lean tartare, Saint-Pierre, sweetbreads. Salut!!
  • That of the Mazzei is one of the longest and most structured stories that wine Tuscany can give. A story that has as its fulcrum the Chianti Classico and precisely the Castello di Fonterutoli; today a modern cellar with 117 hectares of vineyards for a production of 800,000 bottles. But also a story, made up of great personalities such as, to stay in the near future, Lapo Mazzei, in a period of strong changes, at the same time lays the foundations of today's company. Today, at the helm of this company are the sons Filippi and Francesco who over time have achieved significant goals and given the company a broader scope starting with some acquisitions, even outside Tuscany. In the mid-90s, however, the Belguardo estate project in Maremma was born, with 34 hectares of vineyards. From here comes a non-trivial variation of Vermentino, now it has become the main vine of the Tuscan coast. The white Vermentino "Codice V" of the Belguardo estate of the Mazzei family is a wine born in the heart of the Maremma, on the hills of Grosseto and Montiano. The vines were planted with Vermentino clones originating from Corsica, on loose soils with a predominantly sandy matrix, facing south, south-west. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks at low temperatures and for 20% of the mass in terracotta dolium with maceration on the skins for 4 months. Before final assembly and bottling, the wine rests in steel and terracotta for a few months. on the hills of Grosseto and Montiano. Recommended with fish and white meat savoury dishes, risotto, porcini mushrooms. A tutti!
  • In one of mine first wine classes,  the teacher said regarding pairing wines with meals.  ''You can attempt everything, and please please do so, but don't matter what you will try, you will see that there is only one type of wine that will pair beautifully with all the meals throughout the day. that wine is Champagne!''. Oh dear was he right...Pair this one with a lovely cooked breakfast and you in for a treat. As for the background of this wine: Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche, two of Champagne’s rising stars, have been working alongside their father Jean-Pierre at their nine-hectare estate of Bérêche et Fils since 2004, and today they are putting an increasingly personal stamp on this thoughtfully-run Domaine. The Bérêche estate owns vines in several different sectors of Champagne, with the three primary areas being the immediate vicinity around Ludes and Craon de Ludes, the gravelly terroir of Ormes in the Petite Montagne, and the area around Mareuil-le-Port, on the left bank of the Vallée de la Marne. A small parcel is also found in Trépail, in the eastern Montagne de Reims. Most recently, the estate has acquired its first grand cru vineyard in 2012, a tiny, 15-are parcel in the village of Mailly. The estate's vineyards are planted with roughly equal parts of the three varieties, and increasing attention is being paid to natural viticulture—Bérêche completely stopped using chemical herbicides in 2004 and has planted cover crops in all of the vineyards, and since 2007 a portion of the vineyard is being converted to biodynamics. Sharp-eyed observers will note that beginning in 2013, Bérêche has changed its status from RM (récoltant-manipulant) to NM (négociant-manipulant). This was done for two reasons: the first was to augment the production of the Brut Réserve by about 15 to 20 percent, selecting grapes from three trusted growers in the villages of Ludes, Maily and Rilly-la-Montagne. These grapes will be used exclusively for the Brut Réserve, and the rest of Bérêche's wines remain entirely estate-grown. The second reason was the creation of a négociant range called Crus Sélectionnés, released under the label Raphaël et Vincent Bérêche. These are wines selected from various sources across the Champagne region, designed to illustrate and reflect their respective terroirs, with the first series of wines to be released in 2014. At Bérêche, vinification tends towards the traditional: parcels are vinified separately, with natural yeasts used for smaller tanks and selected yeasts for larger ones. The family has slowly been increasing the percentage of oak used in the cellar, and today about three-quarters of the production is vinified in barrel. The malolactic is systematically avoided, and the wines are bottled around May, without filtration and with a natural cold-settling, achieved by opening all of the cellar’s windows and waiting for three days. Disgorging is still done entirely by hand, and unlike many growers who are embracing the idea of concentrated must for the dosage, Bérèche adamantly prefers a traditional liqueur. Recently the Bérêches have begun to work more with cork for the second fermentation, believing that it results in a wine of more character and complexity. Raphaël’s father was always a firm believer in cork, but it requires a lot of extra work—now that Raphaël and Vincent are working with him at the estate, it’s easier to accomplish. Today, a quarter of the production is bottled with cork instead of capsule, spread over five different cuvées: Les Beaux Regards, Vallée de la Marne Rive Gauche, Le Cran, Reflet d'Antan and the Campania Remensis rosé. Pair it with: Oysters, Grilled fish, Salads, Cheeses, Starters & Canapes
  • The Ott family has been growing and producing wine in the region of Wagram in Lower Austria since 1889. Bernhard Ott is of the fourth generation and has managed the winery since 1993, when he took the helm from his father. When he came home to the winery as a 21 year old, he was interested in producing wines of the highest quality. Bernhard wanted to prove that elegant and long lived wines could be produced from Grüner Veltliner grown on loess soil, specifically from Rosenberg vineyard. Bernhard replaced the old wooden casks with stainless steel and began working the vineyards with an aim for the highest high quality. In 2004 Benhard began composting, using organic cow manure from a friend in the region. In the past four years he’s used so much manure that the EU contacted him; “they didnt think it was possible to use 100,000 Euros worth of manure – they thought there was some accounting mistake. In 2006 he took a trip to the legendary biodynamic property Domaine La Romanée Conti in Vosne, with his best friend, Hans Reisetbauer. There, after a marathon tasting in the cellars with Aubert de Villaine, Bernhard committed to move to biodynamic viticulture. In 2007, with Johannes Hirsch, Fred Loimer and a group of like-minded producers, Respekt was formed. In 2014, after a very difficult harvest in which Bernhard didn’t bottle any single vineyard wines, he decided to work whole cluster saying “the stem is part of the grape. If you work without stems, you get more sweetness, more round fruit.” Today, Bernhard is looking back to previous generations for inspiration and to inform both his work in the vineyard and in the cellar. Grapes are picked at full ripeness, but thanks to biodynamic farming and composting, the sugar ripeness stays very moderate. “The compost helps with water regulation. Healthy soils give water when the weather is dry and take it back when there is too much. This also means no irrigation at all.” says Bernhard. In addition to working the soils with compost, Bernhard is a firm believer in not disrupting the eco-sysytem under the soils too much, preferring to plowing only 8cm deep. Harvest is done 100% by hand, something that is very important to note in a region who’s rolling hills and flatter landscape allow for machine harvesting. After picking and a strickt selection, the fruit is crushed in the press and maceration is done inside the press. The length of the maceration depends on the vintage, but also on the vineyard and the quality of the fruit. Bernhard uses closed pneumatic presses and has several different sizes. “This is how the press used to operate – there was only one pressing per day, so there was a maceration in the press.” explains Berhard. The juice is “browned” and racked into stainless steel where it is fermented by native yeasts without temperature control. Minimal amounts of sulfur are used at harvest and bottling and the cellar is very cold, inhibiting the development of malolactic. The single vineyard wines from the three Erste Lagen – Rosenberg, Spiegel and Stein – are on the full less until June or July before racking and bottling. The resulting wines are some of the very finest in Austria, straddling a juicy character with strong soil signatures.
  • Master of none - Playing with words referring to themselves not being an expert in any one varietal or wine style hence the saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Clever and humble, nonetheless, their wines are at the forefront not only of South Africa but in the world with the amazing wines they are producing. If you enjoy reds on the lighter end of the spectrum such as Pinot Noir or Gamay then Pieter's 'Master of None' will definitely be up your street! It comprises a blend of 5 different grape varieties from tiny vineyard plots across 6 distinct regions; 40% Grenache from Wellington, 30% Cinsault from sites in Darling and Stellenbosch, 8% Pinot Noir from Elgin and a further 8% Syrah from Swartland. Unusually, Pieter then tops up the blend with Voor Paardeberg Chenin Blanc, adding aromatic freshness to the finished wine.  It drinks like a top-class Beaujolais – super bright and juicy, bursting with wild strawberry, cherry and with an earthy, smoky undercurrent. Enjoy at room temperature or slightly chilled – perfect for summer drinking! “In 2004, a lady came to my house to buy wine. She asked for anything but Shiraz. “I don’t drink Shiraz”, were her exact words. I poured her a glass of wine. She loved it and bought 3 cases. It was a straight Shiraz. It’s a fact – we do judge the book by its cover.”
  • Moment of Silence is a South African wine made by superstar wine maker Pieter Walser. He buys in the fruit to make this blended wine of Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. It has been aged in old oak and it is a rich, powerful wine. Some of the fruit comes from vineyards which are over 50 years old.
    Stunning, all rounder, there is nothing you can fault in this wine. Aromas of candied lemon, cooked apple and mango with a core of minerality. Soft and voluptuous, it has a lovely ripeness and a fleshy, creamy mouthfeel, which leads to a perfect tangy freshness giving some zip to its otherwise mellow feel.
  • Pieter Walser from Blankbottle has got to be one of the most interesting, inspired, and avant-garde winemakers there is. His wine background mounts to college when he drove past a winery that had bottles with no labels on offer and he could only afford 3 cases. Went back and sold the 3 at a profit. That very moment started a fascinating story that would inspire any of us. As per his own words: “Moment of Silence predominantly comes from a farm in Wellington called Twyfeling. Boberg is situated on a farm right next to Twyfeling and literally looks onto the vineyards of Twyfeling. Now Twyfeling was owned by my direct family seven generations ago. So on the label it shows 7 generations with Boberg overlooking all seven generations of the Hauptfleisch family. 2015 was the first year that I bought the grapes from this Vineyard. The Farmer calls the vineyard BOBERG, which means “on top of the Mountain”. It was a neglected little vineyard, old bush vines with no irrigation. The farmer identified it as a site with potential and started with a restoration process. The vineyard grows in decomposed granitic soil in Wellington. The site is cooler than the others in the area.
  • Mars Bonfire, Steppenwolf’s drummer’s brother, saw a poster which said,” Born To Ride” with a photo of a motorbike taking off from the ground surrounded by fire. Around that time, he had bought his first car and that’s how the idea came about to celebrate the freedom of being able to go where you want and when you want. NASA used “Born To Be Wild” to wake up their astronaut crews. And when a spaceship landed for the first time on Mars the small exploratory vehicle went down the ramp to the rhythm of “Get your motor running”. In 2004 Paris Hilton asked permission to use the song in her reality show The Simple Life. The band refused.” There are things Rock’n’Roll can’t accept.” The organic Bobal grapes are grown in poor clay soils situated in the west of the province of Valencia at 700 metres altitude. The vines grow in a ‘continental’ climate influenced by the Mediterranean. The wine spends 9 months in French and American oak barrels. Best enjoyed relaxing and/or with pasta, rice and red meat dishes. The Bobal grape variety has really high levels of resveratrol, an antioxidant and a heart healthy polyphenol, which helps metabolise fats.

Title

Go to Top