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E Environmental Magazine, November/December 2006 Organic Grapes, Organic Wine The Harvest is Bountiful, but the Labeling Controversy is Still Fermenting By Paul Gleason "Tony Coturri has certified organic vineyards and uses no chemicals at any point in his winemaking. But he doesn't use the word "organic" on the Coturri Winery labels. "In all honesty, wine consumers have not embraced quality and organic in the same line yet. They still have the attitude that organic wine is a lower quality than what you can get in a conventional wine. It's a stigma," he explains. But his reasoning for not carrying an organic label goes beyond market prejudice. In his view, organic practices are the means to a great wine, and a wine's quality, not a USDA symbol on the label, should capture the attention. "If you're strictly looking for organically grown, no-sulfite wine, then you're looking at what I consider a lesser-quality product. These wines have to stand on their own merits," says Coturri." Organic wines are hot, according to Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, wine columnists for The Wall Street Journal. "They're attracting unprecedented attention both from consumers and from today's more skilled winemakers," says Gaiter. In a recent tasting, this expert duo found they enjoyed the wines labeled "made with organically grown grapes" more than those labeled "organic." Says Brecher: "The best tasted like grapes and earth, period." They had a certain freshness and honesty about them." Gaiter adds: "We discerned no overall difference in price and quality from conventionally made wines. We saw no reason to avoid these wines." Vineyard/Vintage: H. Coturri & Sons Grenache 2004, Testa Vineyards, Mendocino County, California; $19.99 Comments: Simply outstanding, with intense tastes of tightly wound fruit and rich earth. This wine proves, dramatically, that even reasonably priced California wines can express terroir." |
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