| Your holiday table is nearly picture perfect. The | | | | Seasonings. |
| vintage cloth napkins you purchased on a whim | | | | To add to the confusion, many people consider |
| match perfectly with your holiday | | | | vegan and biodynamic wines to be organic wines |
| ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚©cor. The napkin rings, candlestick | | | | as well, but this |
| holders and even your stemware are made of | | | | ¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t always the |
| recycled materials. | | | | case. Vegan and biodynamic wines may be |
| Platters are piled high with organic fruits and | | | | organic wines or made from certified organically |
| vegetables and hormone- and antibiotic-free meat | | | | grown grapes |
| and dairy products. | | | | ‚¬ï¿¾ or they may |
| ƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…¾Ã‚¢s missing | | | | be neither. |
| from this picture? Organic wine, of course! | | | | Vegan wines are made entirely without animal |
| Perhaps | | | | products and use bentonite clay or carbon instead |
| ¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢ve considered | | | | of egg whites or casein, a type of milk protein, |
| giving organic wines a try but, from what little | | | | during the clarification process. Biodynamic wines |
| you know about organic wines, have decided they | | | | use grapes grown under a specific sustainable |
| „¢t be much | | | | farming practice developed in Europe in the 20th |
| more than a step up from vinegar. | | | | century and still used today by some vineyards in |
| Despite what you may have heard previously, this | | | | the United States and Europe. |
| is no longer true. | | | | A surprising variety of organics Whether you like |
| Organic wines have improved tremendously over | | | | red wine, white wine, dessert wine or champagne, |
| the past 15 years and are now on par with most | | | | there is an organic wine to suit your style, budget |
| ¾ wines, receiving favorable ratings in the | | | | and taste. Depending on your location and |
| …“80s and | | | | community, your local wine store may carry a |
| …“90s by wine experts like Robert | | | | reasonable selection of organic wines; however, |
| Parker and winning awards in wine competitions. | | | | the best place to buy organic wines is online |
| Unfortunately, though, there is still some confusion | | | | ‚¬ï¿¾ especially |
| about what an organic wine really is. | | | | now that interstate wine shipping regulations have |
| What is organic wine? Under the U.S. Department | | | | changed. |
| of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program, a | | | | Holiday picks Ceago Vinegarden, one of the |
| wine can only use the word | | | | leaders in the California biodynamic and organic |
| ¾ on the label if it is made with certified | | | | wine industry, offers these recommendations for |
| organically grown grapes, contains less than 20 | | | | your holiday table. |
| parts per million (ppm) of sulfites and has no | | | | ‚¢ Ceago Vinegarden 2004 "Jeriko |
| additional sulfites added during the winemaking | | | | Vineyard" Chardonnay Made with grapes certified |
| process. | | | | organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers |
| If a wine is made with certified organically grown | | | | (CCOF), this fine, ripe-flavored wine has rich |
| grapes but contains more than 20 ppm (and less | | | | aromas of banana cream, cinnamon and pear and |
| than 100 ppm) of sulfites, it may be labeled | | | | pairs well with turkey, ham, fish and vegetarian |
| ¢â‚¬Å“made with certified | | | | dishes as well as hors |
| organically grown | | | | ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…¾Ã‚¢oeuvres. |
| ¿¾ Under the current | | | | ‚¢ Ceago Vinegarden 2001 "Camp Lema" |
| USDA regulations, it cannot technically be called an | | | | Merlot This merlot is grown and certified |
| organic wine. Most consumers refer to both of | | | | Biodynamic by Demeter. It has aromas of anise, |
| these wines as organic. | | | | cherry and mocha plus hints of cinnamon and |
| USDA labeling practices are a bone of contention | | | | vanilla and pairs well with a traditional roast beef |
| with those in the organic wine industry. | | | | dinner. |
| ¢â‚¬Å“Some sulfites occur | | | | ‚¢ Ceago Vinegarden 2001 "Camp Masut" |
| naturally in all wines and minimal amounts of | | | | Cabernet Sauvignon Grown and certified |
| sulfites are added during the winemaking process | | | | Biodynamic by Demeter, this elegant wine has |
| to preserve and stabilize wine. | | | | incredible cherry aromas with a hint of violet and |
| Wines made with organically certified grapes | | | | flavors of black currant, raspberry and mocha. It |
| containing less than 100 ppm of sulfites are | | | | pairs well with many vegetarian dishes as well as |
| essentially 99.99% organic, yet | | | | roast beef. |
| ¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t be labeled | | | | ‚¢ Jeriko Estate NV Brut The first |
| organic. | | | | sparkling wine in the United States to be made |
| In no other category of the food and beverage | | | | with certified (CCOF) organically grown grapes, |
| industry do these same requirements apply in | | | | this crisp sparkling wine with a hint of almond is |
| order for a product to be labeled | | | | perfect for any occasion |
| ¯Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¿Ã‚¾ says Barnet | | | | ‚¬ï¿¾ as an aperitif, |
| (Barney) Feinblum, the president, CEO and | | | | with dessert or with hors |
| founder of Organic Vintners. He is also former | | | | ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…¾Ã‚¢oeuvres. |
| chairman and CEO of Horizon Organic Dairies and | | | | Cheers! |
| former chairman, CEO and president of Celestial | | | | |