ORGANIC WINE?
Recently, I attended a ladies wine and cheese night school fundraiser. What’s better than a group of friends gathered around gourmet wine and cheese pairings? We were a very happy group of moms. The cheese was sublime, and the wine brought out the flavors and subtleties of each cheese. But few of us could explain how they were different if we were asked. We listened attentively when the sommelier explained the details to notice about the wine, but in the end, all I remember was that I had a blast.
Sometimes a delicious glass of wine is a mom’s best friend. In moderation, a good glass of red wine can be just the right thing after a long day or the perfect pairing with a delicious meal. We don’t have to be experts to know when it tastes good or be able to appreciate a solid full bodied Cabernet or a lighter more fruity Pinot Noir. The fun thing about wine is that it is experiential, and you learn as you go. I have a friend who owns her own vineyard and is intricately involved in the entire process, from harvest, to production, to aging. I also have friends who drink Two Buck Chuck (Charles Shaw at $2.99 a bottle) from Trader Joe’s.
Red wine contains tannins which makes the wine red and contains procyanidins, known for protecting against heart disease. This is good news for those of us who enjoy our wine paired with artery clogging cheese. Not to mention, studies have shown regular red wine drinkers (in moderation of course) have a more beneficial cholesterol ratio compared to another group who drink only water. Bummer for the water drinkers.
Organic wine is becoming more and more in demand as people are seeking pesticide free lifestyles. A wine is considered organically certified if it is 90% pesticide free, and the vineyard has been organically certified by passing at least three seasons of fertilizer and pesticide free harvest. To be 100% organic is as pure as it gets – meaning that the entire vineyard is USDA certified organic. Because after all, if we’re drinking our red wine for all of these heart healthy and cholesterol lowering benefits, we want to make sure that we are not imbibing any unnecessary toxins.
Some organic wines we love:
- Chateau Maris La Touge – The 2009 Syrah is a vegan wine, made with organic grapes with cherry and berry aromas.
- Naked Merlot – From a winery in Washington State, this wine leaves natural berry fruit flavors on the palate.
- Domenico Syrah – A 2010 wine, made from organic grapes in Amador County. It is big, bodacious, and balanced like a football player who practices yoga.
