Wine: Bonterra Sauvigon Blanc (Organic)
Vintage: 2006
Origin: California, 52% Lake County 48% Mendocino County
Purchased: Whole Foods, $10.99 on sale
First things first, I just finished Alice Feiring's book, The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization, and I will be reviewing it soon. And although the woman thinks she is the Femme Fatal of France, she is arrogant as hell and more than a little irritating. That doesn't mean that I didn't learn a lot from reading her book. Quite the contrary. One of her main complaints is that wine is being globalized and that there is a vast conspiracy of ignorance in the world of wine (instigated by *dun dun duuuuuum* the evil Robert Parker ). She calls for organic farming, going back the the "authentic" ways of doing things, and for all additives to be listed on wine bottles. In many ways, I agree with her thoughts, in others, I think she needs to get a grip.
More on that later, but I have become interested in trying some organic wines as of late. And although Alice and I have our differences (uggg...stop bitching and start drinking!) I am frustrated by wines that say they are one thing, such as organic, and don't tell you exactly HOW they are making their wine and what additives and methods might be used.
On the the wine at hand. While at Whole Foods the other night, I decided to pick up a couple organic wines and see if I could find anything I might like. I can't say that I have ever been a huge fan of white wine. I usually prefer reds but I am trying to expand my tastes...and, well, it was on sale.
Bonterra has a beautiful website, you can check it out here. And if you have flash player, they have so very crappy piano "musak" over some pictures and quotes about how wonderful it is to grow and use organic grapes. Well wonderful for you, but what about how the wine is actually made? Are you adding things to it? Are you using new fangled methods? Or could you label your wine as just organic grapes, and little else? I really love that vineyards have free range chickens roaming around, and birfeeders that attract birds in order to keep down bug populations- all great things to tout and be proud of.
Of course all that means little if it tastes great right? Well this one fell a little short of great for me. On a hot day, outdoors, with some friends and some music, it would go well- not perfect, but drinkable. It would be easy to drink too much if the party were really hopping so beware.
My notes:
Green apple, bright and sour but with an over-sugared finish. Almost a "fizzy" mouth feel.
Also, I wanted to point out that it has a screw top which is perfectly fine with me, but I wonder how ol' Alice feels about that?
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