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 - looking for everything unmodern.

Luc de Conti, winemaker at Château Tour des Gendres in the Bergerac appellation in South West France is emphatic about the natural evolution of his biodynamic wines. “We’re looking for everything unmodern” ("On cherche l'anti vin moderne par excellence"), he says. When asked to describe his wines in one phrase de Conti said “Wines that follow the heart more and more, and Parker less and less”.

DiscoverVin has released of two Château Tour des Gendres wines. Known as the “Prince of Bergerac”, De Conti has gained a reputation as a leading French wine maker. Working with his brother Jean and his cousin Francis, they produce biodynamic wines that concentrate on fruit, balance, power and freshness.

The wines are an ideal fit with DiscoverVin’s wine portfolio. Our portfolio places emphasis on independent wine makers and grape growers that typically adhere to the practice of meticulous hand nurturing from vineyard to bottle.

Driven by passion as much as by perfectionism, de Conti has introduced organic and biodynamic farming practices to the family domain. He is pragmatic about working with the appellation’s historic grape varieties and doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice vines at the altar of ‘terroir’ and quality.

Certified fully organic in 2005, the estate’s approach was very much a family-orientated decision. Authenticity and excellence are the buzzwords that he lives by and produces in his wines.

And according to Jancis Robinson MW: “A handful of producers such a Luc de Conti at Château Tours des Gendres ...are now producing ambitious wines to rival some of Bordeaux’s smartest offerings.”

The white wine, Cuvée des Conti, Bergerac Blanc 2013, is a fresh Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle blend made using biodynamic principles. It is an excellent expression of ripe Semillon that offers a superb aromatic complexity, combining roundness and vivacity in the mouth. 

And the red wine Tour des Gendres, Le Classique, Bergerac Rouge, 2012 is a velvety, approachable Merlot, ideal for drinking now.

Luc de Conti - Organic Wine Maker

Luc de Conti is deeply committed to organic and bio-dynamic methods. His wines are among the finest and most exciting wines of Southwest France. 

Chateau Tour des Gendres wines are produced on layers of calcareous soil south of the Dordogne river in the appellation of Bergerac.
 Built on a hilltop Gallo-Roman site, the property has been famous for its wines since the 12th century! 
Luc and Martine de Conti bought the property in 1981. The vineyard is fifty hectares in size and offers three very different “terroirs”: Les Gendres, Les Grand Cailloux and St. Julien d’Eymet. At Les Gendres the soil is very calcareous and gives colorful, full-bodied wines with round and ripe tannins; At Les Grand Cailloux the soil is clayey and calcareous and gives fruitier wines and at St. Julien d’Eymet, the sandy, clayey-calcareous mixture brings suppleness and fruit. 


Known since the 12th century as the winery of “Chateau de Bridoire”, Chateau “Tour des Gendres” (literally “Tower of the sons in law”) is located on the site of an old Gallo-Roman villa. Owned and run for the past 3 generations by the “De Conti” family, Chateau “Tour des Gendres” is the flagship of the Bergerac appellation.
 
The De Conti’s have 52 hectares, all in Bergerac, all organically farmed since 1994, AGROCERT certified since 2005. Yeilds are managed based on grape varieties, soil, vintages, the style and balance of the wines and their agricultural plots. average yield: 5-6 bunches per vine. Vinification techniques are customized to reflect the true vintage expression.

DiscoverVin is proud to offer both red and white  wines from Tour de Gendres.

Chateau Moulin des Dames Rouge is a  complex beautifully balanced and satisfying red wine.
Grapes: 60% Merlot, 40 % Cabernet Sauvignon
The wine is a deep red colour, with a very ripe, intense nose.
Aromas of liquorice, mint and blackberries mingle with discreet oaky notes.
The palate is supple, elegant with delicate tannins and perfectly balanced.
Wine Enthusiast, Roger Voss, Dec 2010: By softening the extract and reducing the use of wood, Luc de Conti has succeeded in making a smooth, elegant wine in a difficult year.  89/100

Bergerac: Le Tour, a time trial and a biodynamic red wine.

The Tour de France 2014 is coming to an end. Today, a time trial will likely decide the minor placings, but probably will have no bearing on riding down the runaway winner Vincenzo Nibali.

No problem, there is still the beautiful scenery to enjoy and the last wine of our Taste the Tour Pack. Tonight's Tour wine is classic of the Bergerac region from a famous biodynamic producer. 

And even though the tour is almost over for another year our Tour wines are still available to enjoy.  If you are looking for some value wines that introduce the wines of the south of France this pack is it! 

Here are the notes from our Taste The Tour pack....

Stage 20: Bergerac Saturday 26 July - Time Trial Bergerac : Périgueux 54km

What happens in the organisers' dreams? The final winner is decided in this 54 km time trial.  Bergerac, the second city of the Dordogne area has only been visited by the tour twice before but has a long history of wine making.

The Bergerac region is picturesque and historic with bastides (walled towns) medieval cities, chateaux, Romanesque churches and abbeys and gorgeous stone villages full of character and history and some exciting wines.

Wine 6 Moulin des Dames, Bergerac Rouge, 2007

A classy Merlot/Cabernet (60:40) blend from a sought after biodynamic producer.  This complex beautifully balanced and satisfying red wine is from one of Bergerac’s renowned producers, Luc De Conti. Layered fruit and lovely tannin structure to the wine. Very classy wine at this price.

Suggestion: This is a superb tasty wine that goes well with game, duck, stews and cheese. We will be cooking a porterhouse steak and topping it with some Café de Paris butter. Its one of our favourite recipes and so easy! We make a big batch of Café de Paris butter in summer when we have fresh herbs in the garden, and keep it in the freezer to use as required. We often use Myrtleford Butter Factory butter as the base.  Neil Perry's recipe is our favourite version. 

Damien Pignolet brings French Flair to 3 Weeds with Bastille Day Eve Luncheon

Celebrity Chef Damien Pignolet brings French flair to The 3 Weeds, Rozelle this Bastille Day Eve

And with it a special offer for DiscoverVin customers

Damien Pignolet- doyen of French cuisine

The multi-award winning 3 Weeds Hotel, nestled in the back streets of Rozelle will launch its inaugural Chef du Jour program on Bastille Day eve (Sunday 13 July) featuring celebrated doyen of French cuisine, chef Damien Pignolet...and a gem from DiscoverVin will be part it.

The Chef Du Jour series will expand the hotel’s culinary horizons and dining experiences with featured specialist guest chefs working in partnership with the 3 Weeds’ own executive chef, Nathan Jackson.  The exciting collaborations will bring a diverse offering of cuisines and styles that accentuate the personal flair of the respective chef du jour.

This first Chef du Jour event will begin with an inspired lunch menu created by legendary chef Damien Pignolet.  As an Australian of French heritage, Damien’s cultural culinary roots are celebrated. He is a specialist in both French and modern Australian cuisine and as a pioneer of the Sydney gastro-pub scene, teaming with the 3 Weeds is a natural fit. Pignolet’s impressive portfolio includes Claude’s Restaurant, Bistro Deux, Moncur Terrace, Cleopatra, and most notably, Bistro Moncur, the acclaimed institution which re-defined the standards of pub dining in Sydney.

Bastille Day Eve at the 3 Weeds will be a celebration of the French tradition of the leisurely Sunday lunch – and an evening of French indulgence shared by family and friends.

The menu begins with an amuse bouche, accompanied by an apero, followed by four sumptuous dishes consisting of; hors d’ oeuvres, potage crème, plat principal and salade, each paired with matching wines and liqueurs. Finally, Damien’s signature dessert will take centre stage with tea and coffee to follow.

The outstanding biodynamic 2011 Domaine Roche-Audran, Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre, Côtes du Rhône from DiscoverVin will feature with the plat principal.  

Do not miss this opportunity to experience the unique partnership of 3 Weeds executive chef Nathan Jackson alongside Damien Pignolet in a celebration of French cuisine.

The 3 Weeds 197 Evans Street 

Rozelle, Sydney

Ordinarily the prix-fixe offering, including a glass of French bubbles on arrival is $88 or with matched wines and liqueurs for $123 BUT FOR DISCOVERIN MEMBER THAT IS $110 PER HEAD COMPLETE WITH MATCHED WINES.   Reservations are essential as spaces are limited. For further enquiries and bookings, please contact the 3 Weeds Rozelle on  (02) 9818 2788.  AND mention you are as DiscoverVin friend.

 

The history of the 3 Weeds in the former working class Rozelle-Balmain peninsular exemplifies the Bastille Day motto of ‘Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité’…. Freedom, Equality…and ‘mateship ’ 

although much has changed in the area since it was established in 1881. With the gentrification of the neighbourhood, the 3 Weeds has emerged as a front-runner of the Sydney gastro-pub scene and the perfect venue to catch up with mates.

Roche-Audran best value Rhone wine in the french press

Prestigious French wine magazine Revue du Vin de France ("French Wine Review") recently reviewed wines from the Côtes du Rhone. 

It named DiscoverVin's new red wine from Roche Audran as one of the best value current release rhone wines in the February 2014 edition. 

The blind tasting was conducted in Avignon in September 2013 and wines from more than 210 wineries were tried and 80 reviews published.

The article pointed to the progress made in the quality of wines produced in the region during the last 20 years. Today it offers "a large palette of wines at sound prices." In fact according to the article's author-Roberto Petronio-the wines of Cotes du Rhone offer "the most beautiful" wines in France at good prices.

Here is the review for the Roche Audran Cotes du Rhone , newly arrived at DiscoverVin . This review was written in French and we have done our best to translate!

"Domaine Roche Audran 

13.5/20

A nice generous vegetable nose which is a beautiful invitation to taste. In the mouth it is the smoothness of the texture which seduces with plenty of savoury material- the fruit is omnipresent. Imagine yourself biting on the skin of a ripe grape (but without excess) and taking in the pulp. Here is a generous and complex wine. A wine from the village of Visan to drink everyday without restraint! "

This particular wine is made with a blend of Grenache (70%), Carignan (15%) and Syrah (Shiraz) 15%. Alcohol 15% Vol. 

This is an up and coming producer producing wine by biodynamic practices. To learn more look here .

This wine is available on-line and is also in a number of stockists. Contact us at info@discovervin.com.au for up-to date information on the restaurant or wine shop near you. Trade prices available info@discovervin.com.au

As always drink in moderation!

Organic v biodynamic wines

DiscoverVin distributes several organic and biodynamic wines. What is the the difference between organic and biodynamic wines? Are they are different to "natural" wines? 

Unfortunately due to different regulations in various countries and different agencies that enforce "the rules", it is often difficult to find universal  accepted definitions. 

However, in short.....
"organic" refers to no sprays and minimal use of sulphur, 

"biodynamic" means organic plus the use of specific production methods pioneered by Rudolf Steiner .

"Natural" means no additives whatsoever and the use of natural ferment (no added yeast or mechanical means to control fermentation- essentially fermented grape juice not intended to cellar for the long-term! 

Recently we came across a very good explanation of these terms on the wine list of the Rouge Tomate restaurant in New York City. This is a Michelin starred "Modern American" restaurant featuring local seasonal ingredients and a fantastic international wine list of mostly organic and biodynamic wines curated by sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier. This restaurant not only employs chefs but uses a "culinary nutritionist" who helps in the preparation of the dishes!

We think that their explanation of the difference between organic, biodynamic and natural wines is as good as any that we have seen, and we have reproduced it here.......

So whats all the hype about?  It is difficult to prove that organic or biodynamic wines taste better. Proponents believe that the wines taste "brighter" with better primary fruit characteristics and complexity and better reflect the terror of the site. Or in other words the practises produce more "authentic" wines. Perhaps its not necessarily the practises themselves that lead to better wines. Perhaps if a producer goes down the path of organic or biodynamic production they are meticulous and following best possible practices to produce the best possibly quality fruit from their vineyards?

Many of the producers distributed by DiscoverVin follow organic or biodynamic practises or are in the process of  "converting " to organic practise. Effectively this conversion process means that the agency granting organic status in this case, The European Commission, recognises the primary producer is now following approved pratices and after a certain number of years will be given organic status.  In France producers are given "AB" status by the Agence Française pour la Développemente et la Promotion de l'Agriculture Biologique. The producers are able to use the AB logo once they have achieved organic status. Recently they changed their logo so you will sometimes see the old one on the left (above) The new one on the right will be appearing gradually with new vintages.

The vineyards at Chateau Tour des Gendres in Bergerac. The grasses and weeds are allowed to grow, sprays. minimised, creating a vibrant natural ecosystem and forcing the grapes to compete and send their roots deep into the soils below

Our organic producers..

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.

Luc de Conti at Tour des Gendres supervises crushing of biodynamically produced grapes at Chateau Tour des Gendres in Bergerac