We are surrounded by catchwords, slogans and phrases of all sorts and types. They shout at us from billboards, radio, television and mailings, and there are even some ads on stained-glass windows. The wine industry is no different and a current buzz phrase is “sustainable organic farming.”
Sustainable organic farming is the utilization of what nature provides to assist in growing grapes without the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer and any other man-made soil or vine augmentation. This is done by growing plant ground cover that would deter insects that normally prey on vines or grapes.
Vineyardists return the spent refuse from winemaking to the soil as natural fertilizers, rely heavily on composted material and do everything in their power to grow their grapes naturally. According to sustainable organic farmers, the efforts result in much healthier grapes and, as a corollary, considerably better wine.
The process is somewhat labor intensive, but the additional costs incurred by the constant monitoring of the vines are absorbed by eliminating the costly man-made adjuncts.
Among the prime movers in sustainable organic farming is Bonterra Vineyards, which has been utilizing the techniques since 1987. The wines Bonterra produces have always been of first-class quality, but the proof of the quality is in the tasting.
We have recently tasted some Bonterra wines and found them to be of excellent quality, but what we have not done is to sample them against similar wine varieties from producers that don't use sustainable organic farming techniques.
That might be a difficult, if not impossible, task because no two winemakers are alike. So, we must leave it up to you to tell if there is a difference.
Bonterra 2010 Viognier ($13.99)We will start by saying that viognier is one of our favorite white wine varieties, and this wine enhances our perspective.
It is a golden colored wine with an intensely floral aroma dominated by apricots and pears. The flavor of this medium-bodied wine is a never-ending display of flowers and fruit, carrying over to a finish that is equally as fruity.
This is an exceptional wine, and if you are looking for a change from the ordinary, we can recommend this wine to you without exception.
Bonterra 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.99)If there is going to be a wine fight, it will usually be about a cabernet sauvignon.
Anyone who really knows about wine will tell you that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and to these beholders, the Bonterra 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely worthy of praise.
Here is a case where sustainable organic farming really seems to have paid off and has resulted in a deeply colored, deeply flavored wine that displays a cherry, raspberry and traditional currant aroma, with a hint of vanilla and deep cherry/berry flavor with tobacco and oak in the background.
As is with everything about this wine, the long finish is powerful and loaded with fruit. Any doubts about sustainable organic farming will be answered by this wine.
Bonterra 2010 Pinot Noir ($15.99) The Bonterra 2010 Pinot Noir is another one of those wines that is sure to start a row when wine lovers get together.
This is a wine with a medium body and a bright, clear ruby color. The aroma is a melange of strawberries, red raspberries and black cherries mingled with oak. In the flavor department, black cherry abound, with hints of vanilla, soft oak and chocolate in the background.
Take our word for it; this is one of the better pinot noir wines of the 2010 vintage, sustainable organic farming or not.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and helps manage ArticlesOnWine.com with his wife, Sheila. He can be reached at frojhe@suddenlink.net.[[In-content Ad]]
