If you really want to know what’s in your wine, take a moment to consider a study done last year by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization focused on public health. The report shows that certain fruits and vegetables — dubbed the “Dirty Dozen” — contain higher levels of pesticides, even after washing, than others because of absorption through soft skins. One of the members of the Dirty Dozen? You guessed it: grapes. Does this mean that pesticides can find their way into wine? Maybe. Several studies have shown that trace amounts of pesticides have been detected in some wines from Europe and South America. But before you give up drinking your favorite bordeaux or malbec, it is important to note that the levels found in all of the wines tested were miniscule and not deemed harmful.
However, there is an effort afoot to reduce, if not eliminate entirely, the use of pesticides in farming in general and wine making in particular. This was recently highlighted at a gathering of vineyard owners and winemakers who participated in a panel discussion sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution’s Resident Associates program.
With just a few differences, organic and biodynamic farming practices are both rooted in a philosophy that involves promoting the use of natural techniques to keep the soil and crops healthy without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. In vineyard management, some examples include using chickens to roam among the vines where they eat harmful pests. Wild flowers and other native plants are used to provide nutrients for the soil. Olive trees, apple trees and rose bushes are also planted throughout vineyards to encourage macrobiotic development. In the winery, only natural yeasts are used and no artificial chemicals are added.
Here are a few tasty examples of wines made from grapes grown au natural. Retail prices are approximate.
To get the organic party started, pop open a bottle of nonvintage Pizzolato Fields Prosecco from the Veneto region of Italy ($12). This sparkling white wine is made from 100 percent certified organic Prosecco grapes, using the Italian Charmat method. Its nose displays a delicate, fruity, yeasty quality, with notes of green apple and nectarine that are repeated on the palate. Additional flavors of peach and citrus combine on the finish to provide a refreshing, crisp end.
The 2008 Heller Estate Chardonnay from Carmel Valley, Calif. ($19), is a rich and elegant example of an organic white wine. Bright scents of citrus and vanilla are prominent in the fragrant bouquet. Flavors of pear tart, baked apple and toasty brioche dominate on the front and middle palate while hints of vanilla and minerals slide in on the medium-bodied finish.
For a crisp, clean white wine experience, try the 2009 Benziger Signaterra Casey’s Block Sauvignon Blanc from Mendocino County, Calif. ($24). Produced from certified organic grapes, the wine offers up captivating scents of lemon, lime and green grass. On the palate, flavors of peach and nectarine attack the front of the tongue while crisp acidity and stony minerality shine on the wonderfully balanced finish.
A great value in Spanish red wine is the 2005 Tarantas Classic Spanish Red from the Utiel-Requena region of Spain ($15). This blend of Tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon organic grapes produces a wine that is brimming with aromas of spices and earth on the nose and flavors of cherry, red berry and cedar lingering finish on the wood on the soft-styled body. Earthy tannins provide a pleasant, elegant finish.
