| Your holiday table is nearly picture perfect. | | | | organic,ââ†|
| The vintage cloth napkins you purchased on a | | | | šÂ¬Ã¯Â¿Â¾ says |
| whim match perfectly with your holiday | | | | Barnet (Barney) Feinblum, the president, CEO |
| déco | | | | and founder of Organic Vintners. He is also |
| r. The napkin rings, candlestick holders and | | | | former chairman and CEO of Horizon Organic |
| even your stemware are made of recycled | | | | Dairies and former chairman, CEO and |
| materials. | | | | president of Celestial Seasonings. |
| | | | |
| Platters are piled high with organic fruits | | | | To add to the confusion, many people consider |
| and vegetables and hormone- and | | | | vegan and biodynamic wines to be organic |
| antibiotic-free meat and dairy products. | | | | wines as well, but this |
| | | | isnââ‚à |
| Whatââ | | | | ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t |
| ¬â„¢s | | | | always the case. Vegan and biodynamic wines |
| missing from this picture? Organic wine, of | | | | may be organic wines or made from certified |
| course! Perhaps | | | | organically grown grapes |
| youââ‚à | | | | ââ‚Æ|
| ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢ve | | | | šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¯Â¿Â¾ or |
| considered giving organic wines a try but, | | | | they may be neither. |
| from what little you know about organic | | | | |
| wines, have decided they | | | | Vegan wines are made entirely without animal |
| couldnââ | | | | products and use bentonite clay or carbon |
| ¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t | | | | instead of egg whites or casein, a type of |
| be much more than a step up from vinegar. | | | | milk protein, during the clarification |
| | | | process. Biodynamic wines use grapes grown |
| Despite what you may have heard previously, | | | | under a specific sustainable farming practice |
| this is no longer true. | | | | developed in Europe in the 20th century and |
| | | | still used today by some vineyards in the |
| Organic wines have improved tremendously over | | | | United States and Europe. |
| the past 15 years and are now on par with | | | | |
| most | | | | A surprising variety of organics Whether you |
| ââ‚Æ| | | | like red wine, white wine, dessert wine or |
| šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å“regularÃÆ | | | | champagne, there is an organic wine to suit |
| ’¢â‚¬à | | | | your style, budget and taste. Depending on |
| ƒÆ’¯Â¿Â¾ wines, receiving | | | | your location and community, your local wine |
| favorable ratings in the | | | | store may carry a reasonable selection of |
| ââ‚Æ| | | | organic wines; however, the best place to buy |
| šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“80s and | | | | organic wines is online |
| ââ‚Æ| | | | ââ‚Æ|
| šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“90s by wine | | | | šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¯Â¿Â¾ |
| experts like Robert Parker and winning awards | | | | especially now that interstate wine shipping |
| in wine competitions. | | | | regulations have changed. |
| | | | |
| Unfortunately, though, there is still some | | | | Holiday picks Ceago Vinegarden, one of the |
| confusion about what an organic wine really | | | | leaders in the California biodynamic and |
| is. | | | | organic wine industry, offers these |
| | | | recommendations for your holiday table. |
| What is organic wine? Under the U.S. | | | | |
| Department of Agriculture (USDA) National | | | | ââ‚Ãâ |
| Organic Program, a wine can only use the word | | | | šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Ceago Vinegarden |
| ââ‚Æ| | | | 2004 "Jeriko Vineyard" Chardonnay Made with |
| šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å“organicÃÆ | | | | grapes certified organic by the California |
| ’¢â‚¬à | | | | Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), this fine, |
| ƒÆ’¯Â¿Â¾ on the label if it | | | | ripe-flavored wine has rich aromas of banana |
| is made with certified organically grown | | | | cream, cinnamon and pear and pairs well with |
| grapes, contains less than 20 parts per | | | | turkey, ham, fish and vegetarian dishes as |
| million (ppm) of sulfites and has no | | | | well as hors |
| additional sulfites added during the | | | | dââ‚Ãâ |
| winemaking process. | | | | €šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢oeuvres |
| | | | . |
| If a wine is made with certified organically | | | | |
| grown grapes but contains more than 20 ppm | | | | ââ‚Ãâ |
| (and less than 100 ppm) of sulfites, it may | | | | šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Ceago Vinegarden |
| be labeled | | | | 2001 "Camp Lema" Merlot This merlot is grown |
| ââ‚Æ| | | | and certified Biodynamic by Demeter. It has |
| šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å“made with | | | | aromas of anise, cherry and mocha plus hints |
| certified organically grown | | | | of cinnamon and vanilla and pairs well with a |
| grapes.âââ€à | | | | traditional roast beef dinner. |
| …¡Ã‚¬Ã¯Â¿Â¾ Under | | | | |
| the current USDA regulations, it cannot | | | | ââ‚Ãâ |
| technically be called an organic wine. Most | | | | šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Ceago Vinegarden |
| consumers refer to both of these wines as | | | | 2001 "Camp Masut" Cabernet Sauvignon Grown |
| organic. | | | | and certified Biodynamic by Demeter, this |
| | | | elegant wine has incredible cherry aromas |
| USDA labeling practices are a bone of | | | | with a hint of violet and flavors of black |
| contention with those in the organic wine | | | | currant, raspberry and mocha. It pairs well |
| industry. | | | | with many vegetarian dishes as well as roast |
| ââ‚Æ| | | | beef. |
| šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å“Some sulfites | | | | |
| occur naturally in all wines and minimal | | | | ââ‚Ãâ |
| amounts of sulfites are added during the | | | | šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Jeriko Estate NV |
| winemaking process to preserve and stabilize | | | | Brut The first sparkling wine in the United |
| wine. | | | | States to be made with certified (CCOF) |
| | | | organically grown grapes, this crisp |
| Wines made with organically certified grapes | | | | sparkling wine with a hint of almond is |
| containing less than 100 ppm of sulfites are | | | | perfect for any occasion |
| essentially 99.99% organic, yet | | | | ââ‚Æ|
| canââ‚à | | | | šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¯Â¿Â¾ as |
| ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t be | | | | an aperitif, with dessert or with hors |
| labeled organic. | | | | dââ‚Ãâ |
| | | | €šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢oeuvres |
| In no other category of the food and beverage | | | | . |
| industry do these same requirements apply in | | | | |
| order for a product to be labeled | | | | Cheers! |