The March of Organic Wine

The “Wine Planete” column of the April 2015 edition of The Revue du Vin de France (the Wine review of France) contained a piece called “The Long March of organic wine."

  

The production of organic wine in France has more than doubled in 7 years.

Just to be clear on the terminology here, organic (or “Bio” as it is called in France) refers to wines made with no chemical fertilisers or artificial pesticides and herbicides. Organic production has to be certified and there are several authorities that can certify a producer as complying with organic production. Biodynamic refers to additional steps taken by the producers who follow the methods of Rudolf Stein (burying a cows horn, producing according to the lunar cycle etc.) In this way biodynamic production is a subset of organic production.  We have previously blogged about the topic.

In 2014 only 8% of production was organic, but nevertheless a doubling in 7 years from a miniscule base .  If we include vineyards that are converting to organic production (and not yet earnt their certification) the area under organic production continues to grow rapidly. In comparison only a tiny proportion of vineyards in Australia follow organic production methods.

There is no sign of this trend slowing.  For example in Champagne up until recently, there were practically no organic producers. In 2014 there were 120.  Similarly Bordeaux, in the past had very few producers using organic methods, now Guiraud in Sauternes and Pontet-Canet in Paulliac are 2 well known proponents. Without much publicity the famous Chateau Latour and Chateau Margaux have converted some test plots to biodynamic production. It seems that the long march continues apace.

DiscoverVin stocks wine from a number of producers who are either organic or biodynamic….

Chateau de Saurs (Gaillac)- converted since 2012 vintage

Domaine de l'Ancienne Cure (Bergerac)- converted since 2012 vintage

Chateau Haut Peyrous (Graves)- in conversion

Domaine Bellegarde (Jurancon)-in conversion

Chateau Bouissel (Fronton)-in conversion

Chateau Semeillan Mazeau (Bordeaux/Listrac Medoc)-in conversion

Chateau Moulin Pey-Labrie (Fronsac)- in conversion

Domaine Roche-Audran (Cotes du Rhone)

Our biodynamic producers..

Tour des Gendres (Bergerac)- converted to organic since the 2005 vintage.

DiscoverVin Top 10 wines of 2014 (Part 2)

This is the second part of our Top 10 wines of 2014. Part one can be found here.

The top 5 was dominated by rosé and white wine. Wines 6 to 10 features a wonderful Champagne and some great value reds.

6.Achille Princier Champagne Grand Tradition NV $54


This champagne was new to DiscoverVin in 2014. 
Its a great value Champagne from a small producer. 

It received 2 stars in French "wine bible" Guide Hachette 2014, beating a lot of well-known champagne brands, so it doesn't get any better at this price. 

Oz wine writer Sean Mitchell reviewed it recently: " Overall, this is a very impressive Champagne and one that I'll be buying. " 

It has quickly become one of our best sellers.

More details on this link.








7. Chateau Laroche Joubert 2011 $29.90

The 2010 version of this wine was selected in Gourmet Traveller magazine's Bordeaux feature in August 2014 and made it into the top 10 - and quickly sold out. This 2011 we think is just as good!

An easy drinking merlot blend from the Bordeaux Cotes de Bourg appellation. The vineyards of Bourg face Margaux across the Gironde estuary and offer exceptional quality and excellent value for money.

This is a good example of what we specialise in- finding good value Bordeaux wines from small producers.

The guys from The Wine Wankers loved this one. Read about it here. 

More details and technical information is available here






8.Chateau Haut Monplasir Prestige AOC Cahors 2006 $34.90

A great Malbec from the Cahors region from a top organic producer. 

This wine was mentioned in a review of Cahors, where the malbec grape originates from, in Decanter October 2014 as an up and coming producer.
Château Haut-Monplaisir is owned by Cathy and Daniel Fournié.  Cathy took over from her parents in the 1990s and adopted modern practices. These approaches have lead to impressive improvements in the wines from the property. They are now certified organic producers.



"Cahors is that rarest of all wines: both a rising star and a timeless classic." --The Guardian (UK) April 2013. 

This producer is a rising star of Cahors and this vintage is one of their classics. Details here.




9 .Chateau de Saurs 2010 $24.00

This wine is from the Gaillac region near Toulouse in south-west France. Wines have been made here from Roman times. Nowadays both "new" varieties like Shiraz and merlot are used as well as ancient indigenous varieties that grow wild and were domesticated many centuries ago.

This one is a blend of shiraz, merlot and an indigenous variety Braucol.

"This is easily the best Gaillac wine that I have tried" Sean Mitchell, Grape Observer, June 2014.

Another good example of the wines that DiscoverVin is bringing to Australia. From an ancient vineyard that has been producing quality grapes for many centuries, premium grapes are now being made into modern, organic and clean wines while retaining characteristics typical of the terroir. 

Again this offers great value for money for the quality!

This wine was awarded a Silver medal at the Concours National des Vignerons Independants 2010.

Please click here for more information



10. Chateau Truquet 2011  $31

A rare budget-friendly Saint-Émilion red wine which you will love for its soft rich fruit, balance and complexity. 

This is an undervalued producer that is the immediate neighbour of famed Chateau Figeac (which sells for many times the price.) 

Bronze Medal Concours des Grands Vins de France (Macon).

Another example of the great value wines we are bringing from France.

Further details can be found here.



To recap, out Top 10 for 2014 included 2 rosé, a dry white, 5 great value reds from a mixture of appellations, a new Champagne to Australia and a stunning dessert wine from the Pyrenees. If you haven't tried any of our wines, we suggest that any of these top 10 would be a great place to start!

Prices above are for online customers. Trade enquiries welcome via info@discovervin.com.au or 0260 206 016

Please see our website for terms and conditions. 

The Wine Gang Focus on Gaillac

The Wine Gang, five UK wine critics experienced the diversity of wines from South West of France.  This is their description of visiting Gaillac, an wine producing area near Toulouse.

Gaillac

The Wine Gang have graciously let us reproduce their blog on the DiscoverVin blog.

Diversity is the name of the game in South West France: from a vinous perspective, there really is something for everyone if you put together all the appellations in this beautiful corner of Europe. If there was a single area that expressed this versatility in microcosm, however, it would have to be an historic appellation that straddles the Tarn River: Gaillac.

"The diversity starts, of course, in the vineyard, or, rather, beneath the vineyards: Gaillac has three distinctive terroirs, each offering a different character to the wines, from the power and structure offered by the stone, sand and gravel terraces on the left bank of the Tarn to the elegance and succulence brought by the chalky clay of the right bank and the poise and vibrant fruit of the limestone Plateau Cordais.

Harvest in Cotes de Tarn

But that’s really just the beginning. On those soils, Gaillac producers work with nine different grape varieties to produce seven distinct wine styles. The permutations are, therefore, as fascinating as they are delicious. In Gaillac you can find vividly berry-fruited, explosively juicy youthful reds made from Gamay and bottled shortly after harvest, alongside intense, structured but elegant reds made from the local favourites Braucol and Duras as well as Syrah, offering fine tannins and freshening acidity to go with their spicy flavours.

Whites, from Mauzac, Loin de L’Oeil, Ondenc and Muscadelle, can be oak-aged, dry and savoury, with concentrated juicy apple offset by minerals and rippling acidity. Or they can be lusciously sweet and honeyed, like a liquid tarte-tatin, enlivened by a line of fine citrus."

DiscoverVin import two wines from Chateau de Saurs in Gaillac.
This chateau has been in the hands of the same family since the 16th century. It is now in the process of conversion to organic production (from the  2012 vintage the wines will be labelled as certified organic).
The vineyard extends for 42 ha, growing selcted grape varities to produce wines of the Gaillac appelation (white, rosé and red).

Chateau de Saurs AOC Gaillac Blanc Doux is made from a selected parcel of Loin de l'Oeil of more than 40 years old. The grapes are late-picked at the peak of ripeness during October. Loin de l'Oeil ('Lew-an-de-le-oh-eye") translates as eye of the lion. This gorgeous dessert wine has a sweet honey flavour on the palate.

Chateau de Saurs Tradition Rouge has been one of our most popular wines.
 "This is easily the best Gaillac wine that I have tried" Sean Mitchell, Grape Observer, June 2014.  
From an ancient vineyard that has been producing quality grapes for many centuries, premium grapes are now being made into modern, organic and clean wines while retaining characteristics typical of the terroir. 
Great value for money! The Tradition Rouge is from the great vintage of 2010.