Let Me Hear You WINE!

After a long difficult day there are a few simple things I love, a soft kiss hello from my husband, a comforting dinner and a nice glass of wine. Don’t judge me, it is not every night that I uncork but once a week or so I enjoy a grape with full body and a nice nose. I live in wine country and my husband and I love to take a day every once in a while to stop in at the local wineries. As I greened my life I began to look at that once beautiful glass of Pinot Noir as a cup full of pesticides. Once I began to research grapes I found that they are one of the most pesticide ridden fruits on the market. I could not give up my friend Chardonnay so I had to come up with a solution - organic wines.

“Studies show that wine grapes are bombarded with a medley of poisons. In fact, 17 different insecticides, herbicides, and fumigants are used in wine production, many containing possible carcinogens. In California, where 90 percent of domestic wines are produced, grapes receive more pesticides than any other crop: 59 million pounds in 1995 alone, according to Californians for Pesticide Reform.” – Frey Vineyards

Organic wines are harder to find but once you know to look for them you will begin to see a few options at each store. The hardest part about locating these wines is figuring out which are friendly green. Organic wines rarely have their own section at the market so you have to either know your brands or search through each bottle looking for “made with organically grown grapes” on the label.

If you have a Trader Joes in your area they have a few options, most of them are very cost effective at under $10. My favorite has the cheesy name of “Our Daily Red”, I also like the wines from Chile. If you have a Whole Foods they carry more organic options but they usually stay local to your area so naming brands may not help you. If you happen to live in Northern California you can message me for my favorites! Here are some reasons why you should drink organic wine.

It Tastes Better

I am a wine snob! Living in wine country it just happens to you over time. Even with my snobbery I love organic wines. They have more flavor because they are closer to nature. My favorite local winery is Heller in Carmel Valley, they have the best Merlot you will ever taste!

Fewer Sulfites

If you have headaches or a rash from wine most likely it is from the sulfites. These nasty buggers also increase hang over risk. One of the great things about organic wine is it has fewer sulfites,
“Organic wines contain less sulfites then traditional wines. Sulfites are a salts or sulfurous acids that occur naturally in many wines. It is vary rare to find a wine that does not have sulfites. Added sulfites are generally used for preservation of wines. 100% Organic wines are made with no added sulfites. The less sulfites a wine contains, the healthier it will be for your body.” - Associatedcontent.com

The Greater Good

Choosing organic wines helps the areas of our planet that grow our grapes. Organic wines are not just better for you, they are better for the planet.
“In addition to the risk of pesticide exposure to us, the consumers, there are many good reasons to support the organic wine industry: Pesticide residues contaminate ground water, kill wildlife, and put farm workers at a higher risk for cancer. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered before health risks were known and there is a growing concern that pesticide residues can accumulate over-time and cause health problems. While many vineyards are using fewer pesticides, it is clear that most are not." - bestnaturalfoods.com

The Downsides

The nature of organic prevents wines from aging well so organic wines will be young. If the bottle says 2009, it’s okay! The other downside is cost. Unless you have a market like the two I mentioned above you might pay $5-15 more per bottle. Also, just like any indulgence it is best to drink our wine in moderation. All these considered I still love my organic wine, now let me hear you wine!

Web Resources
http://www.freywine.com/index.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/78181 top_3_reasons_why_you_should_drink_pg2.html?cat=22
http://www.bestnaturalfoods.com/newsletter/organic_wine.html
http://www.hellerestate.com/