Your Guide to Organic, Biodynamic and Natural Wine


Organic Wines For Thanksgiving

Posted by on Nov 9, 2009 in Features

If you want to taste some stellar wines that were made with organic and biodynamic grapes, here is my quick list for Thanksgiving wine choices:

Sparkling Wines:

Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvee 2005 $26 (widely available)

Aroma: Honeysuckle and toasted nuts. Flavors: Pear compote and lemon custard. A perfect match for slightly spicy asian foods or a cheese and fruit platter.Varietal blend:64% pinot noir, 34% chardonnay and 2% pinot blanc. Made from organically grown grapes.

Tarantas Cava 2008 $13.99 (ask for it at Wholefoods)

The Tarantas Cava is full of apple fritter aromas with a touch of cinnamon and has a dry, refreshing finish. Gorgeous bubbles and low alcohol make this a perfect celebratory aperitif at week’s end. Made with organically grown grapes.

White Wine:

Weingut Zahel Riesling 2008 $19.99 (buy it online here or ask your local retailer)
Gorgeous citrus fruits with a touch of honeysuckle aromas. Lovely fruit to match your turkey but dry, minerally finish. Very refreshing acids. NY Times writes about these Austrian wines here. Zahel practices a mix of organic and biodynamic farming, although they do not use copper sulphate as many biodynamic farmers do.

Rose Wine:

Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Gamay Noir Rose 2008 $15 (ask your retailer or call here)
Count yourself among the blessed if you can score a bottle of this delicious California rose wine. I used to sell it as a wine wholesale rep in Texas and we could never get enough. Gorgeous flavors of strawberries and citrus fruits. Crisp, dry finish. A quintessential Thanksgiving wine. Grapes are from practicing organic vineyards and have no commercial yeasts added.

Red Wine:

Cooper Mountain Pinot Noir Reserve 2007 $25

The Cooper Mountain Pinot Noir 2007 Reserve is an excellent, change all your preconceptions about domestic Pinot Noir, wine drinking experience. Delicious cherry aromas with a bit of smoke and earth. Nice touch of mushroom. Gorgeous ruby color. Certifed biodynamic.