Wineries

What is Lyle Fass Drinking?

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 19, 2013 in Features

The people at Serious Eats have the answer.

Coturri Carignane Testa Vineyards 2009

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 18, 2013 in Reviews

Victoria is in love with the sexy nose on this “bad boy” from rock star winemaker Tony Coturri. And the best part, it’s an insane value buy.

RAW Artisan Wine Fair Announces 2014 Dates – London and Vienna

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 15, 2013 in Press Releases

RAW, the artisan wine fair, is back.

Not once, but twice.

As the behind-the-scenes of the 3rd edition of RAW London picks up steam, we are delighted to announce that this year we’re spreading our wings a little further afield with our first out-of-London fair. May and June will now see growers not only pounding the streets of London but also Vienna. RAW Vienna will coincide with Vievinum, Austria’s bi-annual wine trade event, enabling international trade travelling to the city for the show to explore natural wine as well.

The new dates for your diary are as follows:

RAW London: 18 & 19 May 2014

RAW Vienna: 15 June 2014

A few basics:

RAW London will be back at the Old Truman Brewery, and the venue for RAW Vienna will be announced in January.

As with previous years, we expect over 150 growers to attend RAW London, while RAW Vienna will be a much more intimate affair showcasing the work of around 50 growers. Details will follow in due course.

So, if you are based in central or eastern Europe, there’s no excuse. Come and experience the delights of fine natural wine for yourself. We already have keen tasters travelling in especially from Berlin, Budapest, Bucharest and Transylvania, so we can’t wait to see where else Vienna touches.

Trade and press registrations will open in the new year and tickets will go on sale shortly after. If you are a grower who would like to participate in London and/or Vienna, please get in touch. Alternatively, please visit our website for more information.

We look forward to seeing you at one or the other or both!

Best wishes from all of us at RAW.

VinNatur – Natural Wine Tasting in Oslo – November 19th

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 15, 2013 in Events

VinNatur is holding a Natural Wine Tasting in Oslo, Norway on November 19th. Over 200 wines will be available to sample.

Organic Wines For Thanksgiving – ABC News

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 14, 2013 in Features

Our friends at Vinotas Selections were interviewed by ABC News online for their organic and biodynamic wine recommendations for the upcoming holidays.

Organic wine consumption has maintained a steady growth rate worldwide in the last few years, according to the International Organic Accreditation Service, Letis, owing to both an increased consumer interest in eating healthier foods and more options available in stores. Some say, the wines simply taste better too.

“You are what you eat but you’re also what you drink,” said Abood. “I was tired of seeing companies produce wines that are basically pesticide soups.”

But despite plans to brine and roast a free-range, heritage turkey this Thanksgivukkah or attempts to recreate grandma’s famous Christmas pudding from scratch, many Americans forget their all-natural preferences when it comes to choosing holiday pours.

“It’s so funny,” said Veronica Moreno, chief operating officer at Vinotas Selections. “People are open to exploring new cuisines and foods at their farmers’ market, but then they are hesitant to try new wines.”

Harvest Report 2013 – Natural Merchants

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 13, 2013 in Features

Natural Merchants is an Oregon-based importer of organic wines from all over Europe. Here is a round up of how this year’s harvest went with some of their wineries.

La Cantina Pizzolato – Italy

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

Harvests over the past 5 or 6 years were early-the middle of August – when the heat forced us to start at 5am and finish before the sun was too high in the sky. This year was like a flash from the past, with the harvest starting at the beginning of September. It was wonderful fall weather and temperatures.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

May & June were really difficult months, with a lot of rain during the critical period for peronospera. We were really worried about the disease of the plants but fortunately from the end of June weather changed, going back to high temperatures.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

For us 2013 was a great year for red wines. The Cabernet and Merlot grapes were really healthy and fantastic this year. We are very optimistic that 2013 will be a great vintage for our NSA reds.

Vignobles Raymond – France

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

The harvest started September 21st with the whites – about 3 weeks later than last year. The harvest was a bit late due to not enough sun during the month of June.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

Due to the cold and rain which lasted throughout the spring, we had issues with millerandage (or berry-shot) meaning the berry forms but does not bloom & also flower abortion especially on the Merlots. We lacked sun in the spring but were lucky with the great heat during the month of July! This was once again a tough year, going out to the vineyard everyday as it required our full attention on each plot.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

2013 marked an historical loss for the vineyard in Bordeaux: Over 10,000 hectares were hailed upon. However the organic vineyards are emerging relatively unscathed. The raisins are more solid, less assisted, and less impacted by the rot than they would be at a conventional vineyard. More work of the soil allowed a better runoff of the water and saved the vineyard!

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc was a great success. Very aromatic, vivacious, and beautiful acidity with a cool crisp. This vintage was tough on the Merlot, with rot during spring and the problem with flowering. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Francs are well-structured and aromatic. The aromatic level of the whites is excellent; fresh with brilliant color, supple tannins and well parfumed!

Domaine Gioulis – Greece

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

The harvest of our white grapes varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Gris, Sauvignon Blanc) started on 26th of August. For the Moschofilero grape variety -grey coloured skinned variety- the harvest started on September 30. For all of them, the harvest was one week earlier than the usual. The harvest of the reds: the indigenous Agiorgitiko and the Cabernet Sauvignon, started on 19th of September. This was two weeks earlier than the usual.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

During the months of April and May, we had high temperatures (20–30oC vs. 15–20 which is the norm) and south winds. From May to July we had sunshine with little rainfall. However, a strong rain, for a couple days in June, filled in the needs of the vines for water. After that the month of August till the days of harvest was sunny but breezy without any rainfall.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

Due to the fact that spring had high enough temperatures, and the summer was breezy enough without rainfall during the harvest, we had as a result a medium but qualitative production. The aromas are fine and more expressive and the flavors are more complex than the usual. It will be a very good vintage especially for the red wines.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

The south winds during the spring were unusual. These lead to an early harvested vintage.

Bodegas Iranzo – Spain

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

The harvest was done between September 25 and October 10. It’s later than usual in recent years. Although these are the dates that were traditionally harvest dates in this area in the past.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

The summer was cooler than usual in recent years, which caused a delay in the maturation of the grapes. I think the effect is positive, leading to more balanced wines.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

The harvest quantities are smaller this year. The best thing about the crop is the uniformity of quality of the grapes. The fruits are very healthy and are of excellent quality.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

We would like to emphasize that we have started using soft pressing technology with our newest generation pneumatic press. This will have a positive impact on all the wines we produce, especially in the Rosés.

Biokult – Austria

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

Harvest was more than a month later than usual. The quality was good, but it harkened back to average harvest dates twenty years ago when October was most common.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

We had very dry summer and then a cold second half of August. That stopped/slowed the ripening making the harvest later.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

It will be a very fine and fragile vintage because of the cold climate. Intense flavors and slightly more acidity. We were patient and the grapes stayed healthy and in good condition.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

That was this very very slow ripening process, with wind and sun, then a rainy period and more sunny conditions. We had a very nice finish to the season with two very warm October weeks right before harvest.

Alpamanta – Biodynamic Wines from Argentina

Posted by Dani Rozman on Nov 12, 2013 in Features

I hailed a taxi from Mendoza’s 6th section on a sun-filled winter day. The season had been mild, but the elderly women on Calle Olascoaga could be seen in puffy coats performing their driveway sweep routine, unfettered by passersby tracking through their dust piles. The drive to Luján de Cuyo, one of Mendoza’s highly touted sub-regions, could confound any visitor; despite the wine capital’s conspicuous fuchsia-splashed billboards, the city’s immediate surroundings are starkly desert-like. However, just fifteen minutes away, past big box supermarkets, turf soccer fields and a bit of nothingness, vineyards begin to appear like oases before a towering Andes backdrop.

I went to visit Alpamanta to learn from agronomist Pamela Federici how responsible viticultural methods translate into award winning wines. Their 35-hectare estate sits in the south of Luján in Ugarteche, which rests at a slightly lower altitude than its neighboring valleys. It is characterized by alluvial soils and stark contrast of hot days and cool nights, providing an ideal amount of stress on the vines while allowing a long ripening period for grapes. What sets this winery apart is a simple but strenuous homeopathic approach: the vineyard is farmed according to organic and biodynamic certifications and winemaking is conducted without cultivated yeasts and additives. Through its work with Alvaro Espinoza and René Piamonte, Alpamanta has honed in on essential farming practices that have transformed the estate into a flourishing ecosystem, yielding healthy fruit and increasingly popular wines.

Pamela Federici is in charge of day-to-day operations at the estate and, like other dedicated agronomists, practically lives in the vineyard. She boasts work experience spanning three continents, but decided to remain in her home region after a chance encounter with owner Andrej Ruzumovsky.

Alpamanta does all its farming in accordance with René Piamonte’s biodynamic calendar; a schedule set by the lunar cycle, revealing the optimal dates for pruning, picking, composting – every aspect of the harvest cycle. In compliance with organic and biodynamic teachings, the vineyard team refrains from chemical use in both the vineyard and winery, opting instead to let nature take its course. This approach is meant to allow a vineyard to remain in a harmonious state, with insect and yeast populations unharmed, but it can also leave crops susceptible to problems that a conventional winery could easily eradicate with chemical spraying. I asked if being biodynamic was worth the extra trouble.

“Overall I have seen a very balanced vineyard,“ said Federici. ”There is a very good relationship of leaf to fruit and the quality is outstanding. The plants have adapted very well to the natural conditions under which we grow; they fight for themselves against the odds of rain, heat, insects and fungal attack. Thanks to our minimal intervention and the greatly diverse microclimate, the plants have managed to survive and adapt.”

I was watched closely by a small heard of sheep, presumably waiting for me to leave their hangout. They do the dirty work around the farm, eating weeds and providing organic material that supports the life of the vineyard. Most people don’t like to talk about the behind-the-scenes aspect of farming, but it’s essential to the process. Like an unblemished apple, an organic or biodynamic vineyard without free-roaming animals is rather suspicious. Sure, some organic projects manage just fine by purchasing all their compost and manures, but it seems to remove some of the meaning. Alpamanta’s large animal population, plant growth and vegetable garden support Federici’s claim, “We believe in diversity, not monoculture.”

In following with biodynamic practices, Alpamanta does utilize some techniques to add nutrients to the soil and avoid undesirable outcomes in the vineyard. To learn more, we made our way down into a basement below a tasting room and stopped in front of two opened barrels laid down on their sides. They revealed various components of biodynamic preparations separated in clay and glass jars – chamomile, dandelion, oak bark, horsetail, eggshells, quartz, yarrow and manure. Each application is readied in a specific fashion – the oak is inserted into the skull of a domestic animal, then buried next to the vineyard, to be added to compost or used as a spray. These preparations are part of a homeopathic approach meant to improve the health of the ecosystem’s soil and crops; the belief is that they populate the soil with an abundance of microorganisms, aid the breakdown of manures/composts and prevent pests, fungi, molds and diseases.

We ended the day with a lengthy asado (Argentine barbecue) in a space carved out into the vineyard. There’s no better way to experience Mendoza than sitting for hours with old and new friends around a table of meat, cheese, salad and wine. Asados are fully engrained in the culture; on Sunday afternoons locals stay at home with friends and family, while the smell of caramelized fat flows into the quiet city streets. If someone eats or drinks too much and is feeling a bit sleepy, they are welcome to take a nap in the host’s bed. I managed to stay in my chair. Our asado was accompanied by a generous tasting of Alpamanta’s current releases. Standouts included the honey-filled 2012 Natal Chardonnay, the peppery oak-free 2009 Natal Cabernet Sauvignon and a nostalgic 2007 Reserva Malbec that nearly coaxed me into staying in Mendoza for a few extra days.

More than anything else, the wines at Alpamanta seem to provide a sense of place. As in the case of other meaningful projects in the region, a glass of this wine, enjoyed anywhere, can invoke the undeniable charm of the Argentine wine experience – the tranquility of the vineyards, looming westward mountains and asado beneath a shaded canopy. It’s all made possible by a philosophy that allows for healthy soil and grapes to do all the talking. After arriving back in New York a week later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of Alpamanta among the usual Mendoza selections in a narrow West Village wine shop. Now I just need to find an Argentine butcher.

List of wines:

Natal Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Natal Chardonnay 2012
Natal Cabernet Sauvignon 2009:
Estate Malbec 2010
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Reserva Malbec 2007

Dani Rozman is a contributor to Organic Wine Journal. He is currently working the harvest at Clos Saron. Photographs courtesy of Alpamanta.

Harvest Report 2013 – Languedoc – Gilles Louvet

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 7, 2013 in Features

The 2013 vintage is characterised by particularly late ripening dates, 2 to 3 weeks after those in a typical year. For example, we did not pick the last Cabernet and Mourvedre grapes in the Cevennes until around 20th October. This phenomenon can be explained by the particularly cold spring which delayed flowering until mid-June. After that, unlike other French regions that were hit by bad weather, we were lucky enough to benefit from a hot summer without anyhydric stress and a very good end to the season, with cool mornings and fine afternoons providing ideal conditions for harvesting. We were therefore able to wait for the grapes to reach perfect ripeness.

Temperature ranges were particularly high this year in our winegrowing regions (foothills of the Cevennes and the Pyrenees), suggesting that the red wines are likely to boast very good tannin quality. Unusually for the Languedoc, we managed to keep excellent natural acidity levels that should produce good colour in the rosé wines and some nice fresh whites.

Domaine Saint Felix Des Toureilles

Here in the region around Beziers, there were no hydric stress problems this year (the main issue here in dry years). The storms in July and August were most beneficial, although with a little hail in July on some plots (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) without any great consequences.

We started with the Chardonnays on around 10 September, followed very quickly by the Sauvignon Blanc. The investment in a pneumatic press and enhanced protection of the grapes against oxidation produced excellent juices with very good acidity levels.

The rosés came next, keeping transport time down to the minimum to try to keep the wines as pale as possible. The reds, meanwhile, were only brought in in October, with good harvests of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This year’s climate conditions may well have reminded them of their native Bordeaux.

For the Languedoc and St Chinian AOCs, phenolic ripeness was achieved with lots of patience and a certain amount of risk, but the result was worth it, allowing long maceration. Very intense colours, even on the Grenache. Currently very promising.

Domaine Mon Reve

It was a baptism of fire for the estate’s brand new winery: 1,000 HI of concrete vats and a pneumatic press (one of the best!). All the grapes were farmed organically this year and have been certified by Delinat.

The harvests were late here too, and also of good quality. There was a big flower problem on the Grenache vines, which reduced yields considerably, although not the quality.

Amazingly, the white wines in the area had to be picked at the end of the harvests, with excellent quality on the Vermentino-Viognier that is well worth discovering, with lots of fruit and freshness.

The Terrasse du Larzac AOC red will be gaining in character and concentration this year, as some magnificent old Carignan is added to the blend, some of it after carbonic maceration.

As for the Syrah and Grenache, their quality is true to the style of the Domaine: high natural sugar levels and very pronounced garrigue scents. The best wines are being left a little longer in the vats and we are starting the maturing.

Clos Du Romarin

The harvests were late here, too…. Unfortunately with a lot of flower abortion on the Grenache vines in St Paul and berry shot on all the Muscat vines, due to the cold spring.

We decided to make the most of pronounced acidity on the Muscat grapes to launch a dry wine. It boasts an intense bouquet and very fresh sensations on the palate, making the ideal aperitif.

The high-end process that proved its worth last year was repeated, with hand picking in small trays followed by storage in refrigerated containers before going to the sorting table. The winemaking process was monitored closely and meticulously by Fabien, a young oenologist who has learned his trade in New Zealand and Languedoc.

The ripening process was completed, with close monitoring and some hydric stress on a few Syrah vines, which will be kept apart (they will not go into the Cotes du Roussillon Village). The Grenache grapes in the Maury area and the Carignans are superb, in particular one plot (La Faun del Bosc) of old Carignan on black schist soils at the foot of Queribus, which is looking most promising.

Cabirou and Tiradou (Grenache) were among the top 5 batches this year, once again.

Domaine Jardin Des Iris

Jean de la Fontaine said “Patience and time do more than strength or passion” and the saying could be said to summarise the vintage. We pushed over-ripeness to its limits, as this was probably the only effective way of avoiding the vegetal hints on this late-ripening terroir this year, but the healthy condition of the grapes meant that it all went without a hitch. We can look forward to some excellent Syrah and Merlot and to Cabernet Sauvignon with red-pepper hints.

The grapes are still macerating in the vats at the moment, and we will have to wait a little to taste the reds, some of which we will be maturing in casks.