2020 Virgen Organic Wines ($13 ea)
Virgen Wines, by Domaine Bousquet, only produces wines made from organic grapes and is Argentina’s largest exporter of organic-fruit wines with upward of 100,000 cases sold in the U.S. alone. With their Virgen collection of wines, Domaine Bousquet has taken organics to the next level, from the vineyard and into the winery. Virgin wines are vegan, with no sulfites added, qualifying them for organic certification by the USDA.
In 1997, when Jean Bousquet planted his first vines on virgin land in the wilds of Alto Gualtallary, a sub-region of Tupungato in Mendoza, his decision was made to farm organically and with no added sulfites. While sulfites are naturally present in all wines, most winemakers add some extra during production to prevent spoilage. Without the addition of Sulfur Di-Oxide (SO2), wines can spoil. Therefore, natural additive-free wines, like these from Virgen, require extra care.
2020 Virgen Organic Red Blend: Three grape varieties (approximately a third each of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) were fermented together using selected yeasts for this co-fermentation. Argentina’s flagship grape, Malbec, provides approachable blackberry and red berry fruit while the Cabernet Sauvignon adds structure, and the Cabernet Franc brings pleasant aromas and acidity.
2020 Virgen Organic Malbec 2020: This wine is deep purple in color with subtle aromas. It is fruity with red fruit and black berry fruit flavors, mildly tannic and finishes with mouth-watering acidity.
These wines from Virgen are just what you are looking for if you desire vegan wine, with no added sulfites and USDA organic certification. Or, if you are simply looking for a tasty wine that’s affordable and obtainable. Cheers!
Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Samples Provided by Creative Palate Communications