The theme for this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend is pairing organic wines (or wines made with organic grapes) with delicious foods.

Demand for Organic Wine is Growing

As a result of the pandemic, the importance of sustainability has been reinforced in the minds of consumers. In tandem with increasing the focus on environmental concerns, the pandemic has amplified the trend towards health and wellness. Together, these issues have acted as major drivers of the organic, biodynamic, and low-intervention wine movement. Now more than ever, alignment with environmental and social issues is badge of honour for brands, particularly in the minds of younger LDA millennials and Gen Z. The industry is gradually catching up with consumer need, creating the necessary certifications to instil trust in such products. (1)

Organic Wine is $54.5 Million Category in the United States and it’s growing faster than total table wine (+25% vs 14%).  IWSR projects the organic wine category to grow to over $1 billion by 2024.

By the way if you’re wondering What’s the difference between “organic” wine and wine made with “organic grapes”?

In the USA, organic wine is wine made with organically grown grapes and without the addition of sulfites. Typically what prevents a winery from being able to label its wine as an “organic” wine is the addition of sulfur dioxide (sulfites) to stabilize the wine.

Wines Tasted

Disclosure: I received these wines as media samples. I received no compensation for this post, and all opinions presented are my own.

2020 Bonterra Chardonnay

Bonterra is a California winery based in Mendocino County. They farm biodynamically, and organically. In fact, their vineyards have been organically farmed since 1987. The winery and grapes are CCOF certified.

Seventy percent of the grapes for this wine fermented in a combination of French and American oak with balance fermented in stainless steel. Oak-fermented wines undergo a secondary malolactic fermentation to add richness and a creamy texture on the palate. The wine is then aged for six months in a combination of stainless steel and some new and neutral medium-toast American oak barrels.

Pale lemon yellow color with pear, green apple, pineapple, lemon, vanilla and a hint of buttered brioche aromas. On the palate it’s medium-full bodied with a creamy texture and good acidity with pear, vanilla, green apple, Meyer lemon and vanilla flavors with a hint of oak spice. Medium finish. 87pts|13.5% abv. SRP – $14. A delicious crowd pleaser that drinks above its price point! 

Viña Cono Sur Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993, with the vision of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines that convey the spirit of the New World.

Their name refers to the company’s geographic position, representing wines proudly made in South America’s Southern Cone, on whose western edge lies Chile and its gifted wine valleys.

Cono Sur is Chile’s #1 producer of Pinot Noir and 2nd largest producer of wines made with organic grapes. They farm over 700 acres organically and was Chile’s first winery to receive organic certification. In 2019 they awarded “Chilean Wine Producer of the Year” by the International Wine & Spirits Competition. They are a Certified B Corporation, companies who are audited to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Over the years they have initiated and developed an impressive list of sustainability certifications including Carbon Neutral Delivery.

The 2020 Viña Cono Sur Organic Chardonnay is made from 100% chardonnay primarily sourced from vineyards in the San Antonio Valley located near the Pacific coast.  

Pale lemon yellow color with green melon, guava and pineapple, and citrus aromas On the palate it’s medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and just ripe honeydew melon, pineapple, guava, and lemon zest flavors. 87pts|13.5% abv|SRP – $11.99.

The 2019 Viña Cono Sur Pinot Noir Bicicleta Reserva is made from sustainably farmed grapes. It’s 100% Pinot Noir raised 50/50 in French oak barrels and stainless steel. A Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT)/Federation Internationales des Vins et Spritueux (FIVS) Gold Medal sticker is affixed to the label which denotes earned a Gold medal for International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing to Viña Cono Sur, and from what I can discern, this particular bottle was submitted for judging.

Translucent ruby color with blackberry, blackberry leaf, raspberry, dried herb, white pepper and a hint of matchstick aromas. On the palate it’s medium-bodied with lively acidity and fine-grained supple tannins, with raspberry, blackberry, strawberry flavors with hints of black pluym and savory spice. Medium finish. 86pts 13.5% abv| SRP – 11.99

Overall, these are three very good sustainably produced wines that offer very good value.

Pro-tip. All three wines we sealed under screw caps. In my experience, screw-cap wines generally benefit from more aeration, not less, than cork-sealed wines.

Food Pairings

I paired with the three wines with White Pizza – 1/2 Original with Ricotta Sauce, Fresh and Aged Mozzarella and Spinach and 1/2 Kellie Grrrl with Ricotta Sauce, Fresh and Aged Mozzarella and Mushroom, Green Olive, Calabrian Chili.

With the Original White Pizza, the two Cono Sur wines edged out the Bonterra, which also paired well. Both of the Cono Sur wines brought more acidity to the party, which was a nice counterpoint to the pizza’s richness.

My favorite wine with the Kellie Grrrl was the Bonterra whose full-bodied character seemed to match the richness of the pizza better, while its ample fruit profile fruit offset the heat from the chiles nicely.

This was a fun exploration of a, believe or not, new-to-me style of pizza and pairing it very good sustainably produced wines from producers who are taking action to make a difference for our planet.

Be sure to check out what my fellow Wine Pairing Weekend friends have discovered:

• Robin Bell Renken brings Organic Wine – Sustainability and Beyond (Plus Recommendations and Pairings to Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Camilla Mann suggests Sustainably Sourced Seafood + Organic Wines: Rock Crab Claw Crêpes with Bonterra’s 2020 Chardonnay on Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
• Wendy Klik is Drinking and Dining Sustainably and Organically on A Day in the Life on the Farm.
• Terri Oliver Steffes sees Slow Wines and Organic Farming with Lettuce Grow at Our Good Life
• Nicole Ruiz Hudson presents a Chardonnay and Chicken Showdown: Chile vs. California on Somm’s Table
• David Crowley offers an Organic Wine Pairing with Veggie Burgers on Cooking Chat
• Linda Whipple suggests Vegan Black Bean Burgers and Organic Wine: a Planet-Conscious Pairing on My Full Wine Glass
• Cynthia and Pierre Ly present Mystery Organic Wine “Le Vendangeur Masqué” with Crêpes Dinner and Economics on Traveling Wine Profs
• Jennifer Gentile Martin considers Organic Wines with Pasta and Shrimp on Vino Travels
• Pinny Tam goes with Organic White Wines: Bonterra Chardonnay, Cono Sur Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc Paired With Asian Vegan Dishes on Chinese Food and Wine Pairings
• On Wine Predator, Sue Hill and Gwendolyn Alley have AmByth’s Natural Wines, Biodynamic Farming for the Future.

Why climate action matters and what you can do:

Since this month’s theme is focused on organic grapes, I want to take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts on climate action.

The United Nations’ climate panel, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (“IPCC”), which is composed of world’s leading climate scientists, recently delivered their most forbidding warning yet about the global climate emergency. U.N. Secretary-General, António Guterres described the report as “a code red for humanity.” explains CNBC.

It wasn’t entirely surprising, it was still alarming to me. I wondered what else I can do. I’m already recycling, composting, and driving a hybrid electric vehicle. Then I was remembered a quote from Gandhi:

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it”

With that in mind, here is a list of actionable things that wine consumers can do. It’s not intended to be comprehensive. In fact, what else would you add to the list?

• Buy local, if possible. It can reduce emissions associated with transportation and distribution. Or seek out producers who have earned carbon neutral delivery certification such as this.
• See out and support wineries that are sustainably producing wines (preferably certified by an independent third party). Look for comprehensive sustainability standards that go beyond farming to include things like water management, conservation, and human resource elements. (Note: Sustainability is a broad term. Click here for some existing standards)
• Consider alternate packaging like canned and bag in box wines
• Seek out and support wineries that are Regenerative Organic Certified “ROC”. Click here to learn more
• Seek out and support producers who are “Certified B” Corporation
• Don’t buy wines in heavy bottles intended to convey prestige. Instead seek out and support wineries using lighter bottles.

Climate Action is vital to building a sustainable world for everyone. But we need to act now!

Thanks to our sponsor Fetzer Vineyards, Bonterra and Viña Cono Sur are part of their portfolio

Sources:

1. IWSR “Global Wine Trends To Watch 2021