Green Earth Friends | Organic Wines

Girasole Vineyards Fetzer
2005 Girasole Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon As promised, I purchased a bottle of wine made with organically grown grapes, and as promised I am ready to render my very amateur opinion of the wine that was chosen. First of all, let me say that finding a bottle of organic wine was not easy. I did not go to a wine shop to make my purchase but to a fairly large chain grocery store that has always had a very nice, very large selection of domestic and import wines. The task was difficult, because there was not an organic wine section. This particular wine was mixed in with all of the other wines. After much searching, this was actually the only organic wine that I could find. I purchased it and hoped for the best. The wine was a 2005 Girasole Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a very nice wine with a smooth, full fruity flavor without the overwhelming oak flavor in many red wines. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine! I might suggest doing a little research online before venturing out to find an organic wine or actually visiting a wine shop where experts are available to help. I did my research after the fact and was actually very impressed with what I learned about Girasole Vineyards and their history of organic farming. If you would like to learn more about this particular organic wine, just click the link below. CHEERS!! http://www.girasolevineyards.com/girasole/index.jsp Return to top
Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc Okay, it's a tough job, but someone has got to do it! Someone must sample as many organic wines as possible and provide green consumers with the necessary information to make informed, eco-friendly purchases. Once again, I was perusing the large wine selection at my local grocery store. Let me tell you that organic wines are not necessarily obvious about it. It takes some searching and reading of labels to find what you may be looking for. A bottle of Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc catches my eye because I spot the phrase "our natural approach to winegrowing" on the front label. Then the phrase "From The Earth To The Table" begins to peak my curiosity. As I begin to explore the back label, I decide that I must purchase this wine and do a little more research. The word organic is no where to be found on this bottle of wine. Did you know that even if a wine is made from organically grown grapes it cannot be labeled as an organic wine if sulfites were added? Sulfites are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process. However, many winemakers add sulfites to their wines to make the wine more stable and lessen the occurence of spoilage. Fetzer is California's largest grower of certified organically grown grapes. All of their vineyards are farmed organically, that is without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Fetzer's wine bottles are made from 40% recycled glass. They definitely do their part to conserve energy and reduce waste. Fetzer even powers all of their tractors and trucks with biodiesel fuels. They began growing all of their grapes organically in the mid-1980's long before green became fashionable. As far as I'm concerned, this company appears to be doing their part for the environment. Fetzer has a great website packed with more information on their philosophies and sustainability practices. Recipes and information on wine pairings are available as well. Check it out by clicking the link below! http://www.fetzer.com/fetzer/wineries/index.aspx The Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc that I purchased made for a very nice, smooth glass of wine. There were subtle hints of citrus and apple. The price was also right at $8.99 a bottle. What could be better than an affordable nice glass of wine manufactured in an environmentally responsible way? See, being eco-friendly doesn't have to be boring! Next time you decide to raise your glass, make sure it's filled with a great tasting wine made from organically grown grapes. CHEERS! Return to top