Photo by James Dickinson
Calling a wine "organic" once meant banishing it to the granola aisle. Those days are over. Booth Hardy, owner of The Barrel Thief , suggests getting to know which wine importers support green practices, like natural farming and clean winemaking with low sulfur dioxide addition, over green labeling. Here are five choices that he recommends, all available at The Barrel Thief.
Domaine de Fenouillet Terres Blanches Beaumes de Venise 2011
Rosenthal Wine Merchant is known for importing an elite group of artisan wines made in limited quantities. This red Rhone blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah is a bitter animal with a wildly beating blackberry heart. $23
Champalou Vouvray 2011
Importer Kermit Lynch is name-checked on the front label of this ripe, Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. Champalou is a farming family that utilizes organic and sustainable methods, such as use of the lunar calendar and cover crops between vine rows to promote healthy soil. $23
Crivelli Grignolino D'Asti 2012
Supporting native varietals over transplants greens the wine industry, and the Crivelli family keeps indigenous Italian varietals relevant in a world dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a light-bodied, berry-filled wine for crabmeat and shellfish. $15
Benedicte & Stephane Tissot Trousseau Arbois 2012
Biodynamic winemaking douses pesticide-free, organic farming practices with ancient religious fervor. This medium-bodied, cinnamon-spiced red wine may or may not owe its tart complexity to cow horns planted in the vineyard. $30
Bonny Doon Vineyard Kristy Vineyard & Jespersen Ranch Albariño Central Coast 2012
Winemaker Randall Graham believes in transparency, so much so, that he lists ingredients and sulfur levels on his wine's back label. This sustainably farmed Albariño is crisp, yet creamy, with a punchy lemon wallop. $20
