Behind the Cork™ - Veramonte Organic Wines

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2019 Organic Sauvignon Blanc ($11.99)

2018 Organic Pinot Noir ($12.99)

These organic wines from Veramonte are produced in the Casablanca Valley of Chile. Both are from organically farmed vineyards and delivers the maximum expression of their living soils.

The Veramonte organic Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc that gets picked at night and goes straight to the press. After sitting on lees for 24 hours, it is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its freshness and flavors.

The Sauvignon Blanc is pale yellow in color with bright citrus, pineapple, pear and herbs on the nose. On the palate it’s got mellow flavors, including grapefruit, moderate acidity and finishes really easy.

The Veramonte organic Pinot Noir is produced from 100% Pinot Noir. After being harvested at night, 15% of the grapes undergo whole-cluster maceration and fermentation that helps build its structure. It is then fermented in small open-top tanks with native yeast. Finally, it’s aged for eight months in French oak.

This Chilean Pinot Noir is pale ruby in color with hints of red fruit on the nose. On the palate it’s got that classic cherry and cranberry flavor of a Pinot with very light tannin and low acidity.

Both of these Veramonte organic wines from Chile are affordable and flavorful, the perfect match to be a Behind the Cork™ wine of the week. Look for these - they’re a great value! Cheers!

Imported by Gonzalez Byass USA

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications



Ever Wonder About Natural, Bio-Dynamic, and Sustainably Produced Wines?

Last time we took a quick look at organic wines and wines produced from organically grown grapes. But, now let’s quickly summarize what it means for a wine to be called ‘Natural’, ‘Bio-Dynamic’ or ‘Sustainable.’

Natural Wines

Like so many other wine terms, there are no regulations for ‘natural’ wines. The grapes are grown in organic, biodynamic or sustainable vineyards. After the grapes are hand-picked, they are pressed and allowed to ferment with no added yeast just the native yeast that occurs in the vineyard. No further additives are included during the winemaking process. Finally, the wines are bottled with little or no sulfites.

Biodynamic Wines

Biodynamic wines are like organic wines, but they add biodynamic practices that focus on soil treatments and timed planting practices that coincide with lunar cycles. Like organic and natural wines, biodynamic wines shelf-life can be shorter if they choose to not add sulfites.

Sustainably Produced Wines

Here the primary difference is in the winemaker’s emphasis on the environment. A sustainable winemaker takes extra effort to minimize their impact on the environment. They focus on things such as water conservation, waste management, wildlife preservation and energy management.

This has been a very high-level summary of the various type of wines. There are lots of laws, regulations and practices that these winemakers follow that complicate the subject. But, suffice it to say they all end up producing wine. So, start looking for these terms on wine labels and give them a try. But, if the label states ‘No Sulfites’ (i.e., no preservatives) ensure that you try it sooner rather than later. Cheers!

Ever Wonder What it Means for a Wine to be Organic?

When it comes to organic wines, there are two major categories: ‘Organic Wine’ and ‘Wines made with Organic Grapes.’ Here’s a quick overview of each.

Organic Wines

For a wine to be labeled as ‘Organic’ it must only use organically grown grapes and avoid synthetic additives. Both the growing of the grapes and the winemaking process must be certified. This includes making sure the grapes are grown without synthetic fertilizers. Other agricultural ingredients that go into the wine, such as yeast, also have to be certified organic. And then, any non-agricultural ingredients must be specifically allowed and can’t exceed 5% of the total product. Finally, while the winemaking process naturally yields some sulfur dioxide (sulfites), the winemaker cannot add sulfites to an organic wine. (Note: Sulfites are commonly added to wines to stop the fermentation process and/or as a preservative in the bottle).

Wines Made with Organic Grapes

Wines made from organically grown grapes are much more common. This means there were no synthetic pesticides or herbicides used in the vineyard. Yeast and any other agricultural ingredients used in winemaking aren’t required to be organic, but have to be produced without excluded methods (like genetic engineering). Finally, sulfites may be added to these wines.

Natural, Bio-Dynamic and Sustainably Produced Wines

Wine labels may also carry the terms ‘Natural,’ ‘Bio-Dynamic,’ or ‘Sustainably Produced.’ As you might have guessed these wines are not the same as organic wines. We’ll explore them in the next post. Cheers!