Your Guide to Organic, Biodynamic and Natural Wine
Return To Terroir will take place in NYC on February 27th, at the Altman Building from 11-5PM. 70 wineries will be attendance and Nicolas Joly will give a presentation “The Urgent Need For Biodynamics” at 1pm. The event is for trade and press only, though there will be dinners and tastings around the city open to the public. We’ll let you know those when they are announced.
Coturri & Mushroom Winemaker Dinner
Eric Tucker & his team will provide a 5-course prix fixe meal featuring truffles & other exotic mushrooms with the uniquely natural & complex organic wines from Coturri Winery. Join us for this very special evening in our private wineroom.
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
6pm-930pm (ish)
5-course prix fixe menu with Coturri wine pairings
$90/person (before tax/gratuity)
Space is limited, please call Alison for a seat at the table
415.345.3900×13
There’s an interview at the Louis/Dressner site with Stefano Bellotti of Cascina degli Ulivi.
In 1984, I met an farmer who was working biodynamically. I instantly saw an agriculture that was working better. As a kid who grew up in the materialistic 70′s, I didn’t quite trust the whole biodynamic vision, but I saw the results and knew something about it was working. So I started, and I am very happy. It has opened up the world for me, made it more complex and interesting.
A lot of people think biodynamic agriculture is some sort of religion. It’s not. When you see the results, you can see that it’s an agricultural model that works. And if one day a better model comes along (or contributes to biodynamics), I’ll be very happy!
From Wines From Spain:
Organic wine is a product whose consumption has experienced major growth in recent years. Many experts highlight the product as the sector’s future, especially on mature markets as in the case of Europe. Following this trend, the Spanish Federation of Organic Product Companies (FEPECO) is coordinating the exhibition of around 20 Spanish organic winemaking bodegas at ProWein, one of the most important wine fairs in Europe, which will take place in Düsseldorf (Germany) from 4th to 6th March 2012.
FEPECO will bring together 20 bodegas from several Spanish regions on its 72 m² stand in a joint effort aimed at marketing Spanish organic wine. In addition to coordinating the stand and the logistics behind the exhibition, the federation will also offer exhibitors a service to boost international trade links with potential buyers.
The ProWein fair is an international benchmark on the European and as well as global wine scene. In its last edition, 3,600 exhibitors took part from more than 50 countries, with more than 39,000 trade visitors, from both home and abroad, passing through its pavilions. In its 2012 edition ProWein will offer an exclusive space focusing on organic wines, a space which will host FEPCO as well as other similar associations from countries such as France and Germany.
Germany is the number one importer of Spanish fine wines. Figures from January to September 2011 indicate that Spanish wine exports to the country registered €230 million (€107 million generated by DO wines) with a volume of 214 million litres. These figures represent substantial growth over the same period the previous year of 11 per cent by value and 13 per cent by volume.
Organic wine is a sector which is particularly dynamic in Spain thanks to the enthusiastic investment being carried out in the product by many bodegas. During the period 2010-2011, the vineyard surface-area committed to organic agriculture tripled and the number of bodegas making this type of wine increased from 340 a 460, according to figures from MARM.
From Wink’s Wine and Travel World:
Earlier this month a debate was held between wine writer Monty Waldin, a specialist on organic issues and Dr Richard Smart, a highly experienced viticultural expert. In May this year was the first Natural Wine Fair in London, organised by Isabelle Legeron MW. During the whole year I seem to have had numerous conversations with both professional and amateur wine lovers about green issues. My view is that there is much confusion, and that the overall debate must deepen and continue.
This should and could have been the most important public debate on green issues in wine to be held for a long time. The ‘Great Grape Debate’ was a 2-hour debate run to Oxford-style debating rules and deftly chaired by Antony Moss MW of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Both Monty, the proposer and Richard, the opposition are highly experienced in their respective fields, and known to have opposing views on organic issues. The motion debated was “The UK Wine Trade should promote Organic and Biodynamic Wines”. The audience was small, but included experienced UK-based wine trade, media and educators.
Video of the debate is here.
Read the rest of Wink’s Commentary here.
Check the math, but I think that’s right. Courtesy of Louise Hurren, via Facebook:
Spoke to Languedoc producer Remy Soulié (Domaine des Soulié) who told me his father was one of the 4 (count ‘em) producers to show at Millésime Bio in 1993 (there were only 4 buyers too, making it possibly the world’s smallest, shortest wine fair). This year, they expect 600 exhibitors and 3,200 visitors. Way to go, Millésime Bio!
This is from the other week – a story in the LA Times about Olivier Cousin and his battles with the AOC:
Cousin is fighting a raft of battles: Against the system. Against chemicals. Modern technology. Money, as in, the need for it. And against the idea of putting sugar and other additives in wine.
More concretely, he is in a legal battle with the French authorities who regulate winemaking. Although the issue appears to be about wine labeling, it really is about terroir, the land, or the identity it gives to fruit, as well as its people.
In an industry and a country that fears losing itself to the spread of globalized sameness, Cousin is part of an increasingly popular, often rebellious movement of “natural” winemakers.
“Making wine this way is the story of humanity,” Cousin says. “You have to defend it. Otherwise, you might as well make wine on a computer. And in 50 years, if we continue making industrial wine, it won’t interest anybody.
If organic wine can penetrate the single-malt-mindset of Scotland then you know some serious inroads have been made. Stuart McCluskey, who runs The Bon Vivant’s Companion in Edinburgh had this to say about his selections:
“There’s a developing trend in organic and biodynamic wines but now there’s a demand for natural wine in which there’s minimal chemical and technological intervention allowed in the wine making production process. These wines can vary quite considerably in their quality, but I’ve tasted some wonderful ones which will enable me to offer something to the more environmentally-conscious wine drinker.”
Of course we’d like to point out plenty of non-organic wines are of varying quality as well, but we think his outlook is positive. Though, if we’re ever in town at his store, we’ll probably be trying the single malts ourselves – just for a change of pace.
The full interview is at Scotsman.com.
