At a time of living well and consuming better, the French are paying more and more attention to what is on their plate. So why not linger more on the contents of his balloon glass? Because yes, if drinking wine is a hedonistic practice, it doesn't mean that we should forget about our health. What do we drink when we are addicted to Bio?
If you are new to organic wine, there are a few things you should know before tasting. According to Antoine Gerbelle, a famous reporter for La Revue du vin de France, organic wine has a more flavourful maturity and will be less sweet: "It's like tasting a good fruit from a fruit tree in the prime of life: it is not more ripe than the others, but it offers more presence in the mouth, a presence that is not only based on sweetness, but in the balance of flavours.»
To recognize them, nothing could be simpler: Look for the AB (proof that the grapes used are organic) Nature et Progrès, Ecocert, Demeter (signature of biodynamic agriculture, more respectful of the vine) and other Biodyvin (label of elite winegrowers) on the label of your bottle.
If you swear by the white, you will easily find your happiness in the bio. Alsace, Burgundy or Languedoc, all the major producing regions are closely interested in agriculture, which is more concerned with respect for the terroir.If you like them with a hint of exoticism, go for the white Sancerre of the Vacheron cousins with grapefruit and pineapple accents or the Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg from Domaine Bott-Geyl with citrus and ginger notes that linger long in the mouth.And for special occasions, go for the vintage Coume Gineste, the great white wine of Domaine Gauby.
If you're more into red, we've got the solution too.The Pommard Grands Epenots in Burgundy, which must be kept for 8 to 10 years before reaching its peak, the Menetou Salon 2014 of the Philippe Gilbert estate, with its fruity notesstrawberries, spices and wood, or the Burlenberg "La Coline Brûlée" from Alsace, made from ultra-ripe grapes, are all sure values.
Finally, Thierry Allemand, a reference in the field of great growths with his Cornas, is likely to surprise you with a very marked floral bouquet of violet and iris.And if you are surprised not to see great names in the Bordeaux region, which has been proclaimed a sanctuary for red wine, be patient: the Bordeaux winegrowers are gradually experimenting with biodynamic agriculture on certain plots. And it takes time.