Sweet, crisp and fresh: The best organic wines
RAISE a glass to Mother Nature with this week’s top-notch organic wines
Raise a glass to Mother Nature with this week’s top-notch organic wines
The basis of organic farming is to look after the soil by using natural composts to build up microorganisms, rather than applying man-made chemicals to promote growth and suppress pests. While organic food is now widely available, organic wine is still very much a niche product. But as this week’s seven bottles will show you, it’s well worth seeking out.
While organic food is now widely available, organic wine is still very much a niche product
From left:
Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2013, South Australia £9.99, Waitrose, 13.5% alcohol
Ripe, rounded and approachable with lovely sweet fruit, this is a balanced and restrained wine, unlike some of Australia’s more excessive reds.
Cederberg Chenin Blanc 2014, Cederberg, South Africa £8.99, Waitrose, 12.5% alcohol
From remote, high-altitude vineyards, this crisp chenin blanc is lively, fresh, grassy and taut with keen acidity. It’s very pure and enticing.
Loimer Kamptal Grüner Veltliner 2011, Austria £14.99, Morrisons, 12.5% alcohol
Fred Loimer is one of the stars of the Austrian wine scene and if you haven’t tried grüner veltliner before, this is a good place to start with Austria’s speciality grape variety. It’s dry and fresh, with a pleasing hint of pepper.
Sainsbury’s So Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, South Africa £6, Sainsbury’s, 14% alcohol
This dense, fruity red is unusual in that it hasn’t had any sulphites added to it. These are almost always used as a preservative, but this tastes great without their help and it’s good value to boot.
Discover organic wines by choosing from our expert's selection
From left:
Matetic Corralillo Sauvignon Blanc 2014, San Antonio Valley, Chile £11.99 or £7.99 each if you buy two, Majestic, 13.5% alcohol
One of Chile’s best sauvignon blancs, this has a chalky mineral edge to the aromas and green pepper, grapefruit and ripe-apple flavours. It’s rich and fresh at the same time.
Millton Te Arai Chenin Blanc 2013, Gisborne, New Zealand £13.95, ndjohn.co.uk (01792 644688), 13.5% alcohol
This is a thrilling example of chenin blanc from James Millton, a pioneer of biodynamics (like organic farming but with even stricter rules). It shows exotic, lively citrus, pear and peach fruit with floral overtones, and a lovely freshness in the mouth. It’s utterly delicious.
Tour des Gendres Reserve Bergerac 2011, France £7.95, thewinesociety.com (01438 740222), 14% alcohol
This blend of merlot and malbec is fresh, fruity and supple with a hint of green alongside the juicy cherry and berry fruit. It’s a versatile food wine at a good price.