Green wine may sound odd, but it may ultimately be better for you. Green wine, otherwise known as organic, sustainable or biodynamic wine, is made with as little chemical and technological intervention as possible – and it’s becoming popular.
The Organic Trade Association expects sales of organic wine to grow an additional 17 percent this year, on a base of $80 million.
“It’s clear that this green thing is not a trend,” said Sharon Cerny, a certified wine educator with the Charmer Sunbelt Group. “It’s definitely a choice and a lifestyle. Everything is going green. Now people are saying, ‘I want as clean a wine as possible.’ ”
Cerny visited the Watertable restaurant in Baltimore recently to lead a tasting of 20 new green wines that the restaurant added to their extensive wine list.
Watertable’s chef de cuisine, Garrett Gooch, also introduced a new, all- natural tasting menu.
“My inspiration was just trying to stick with what would taste good with the wines and keep it somewhat local,” he said.
Kyle Bell, Watertable’s general manager, said the restaurant just recently started offering green wine. “It came to light about a month ago, so we added 20 new wines, some whites, some reds.”
Cerny said that her mission is to teach everyone the differences so they can make the best choice for their lifestyle.
“Under certified organic, there are three categories: 100 percent organic, certified organic and wine made from organically grown grapes. To make it clear, we go by the 100 percent, 95 percent and 70 percent rule: For 100 percent, what’s in the bottle has to be 100 percent certified organic fruit, for 95, what’s in the bottle has to be 95 percent organic, but they have some flex if they want to add something that’s not organic. And so on.”
Sustainable wine is made with sustainable farming techniques. The vineyard has to be certified free and clear by the USDA for at least three years, and the soil needs to be clean (free of pesticides) up to 10 feet down.
Farms that are biodynamic, i.e., use farming techniques based on moon cycles and season changes, are required to be certified by an international association called the Demeter Association.
IF YOU GO
Watertable, 202 E. Pratt St., Baltimore
Phone: 410-685-8439
Hours: Breakfast: 6:30 to 11 a.m. Monday-Sunday, Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Sunday, Dinner: 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
