2008 Reserve Syrah-91 Points: “Spacious style lets its blackberry and black cherry flavors expand nicely against streaks of mineral and pepper, coming together smoothly on the ripe but contained finish.  Drink now through 2015.  150 cases made.” – HS

Taken from Cowhorn’s Winter Update, January 24, 2012

Here’s what they wrote:

How GREEN is your shopping?

ConsciousWine: Founded in October 2011, this online wine shop only sells wines made from organically grown grapes. Additionally, the wineries they work with must pursue other green goals, like water conservation and vineyard biodiversity. ConsciousWine also donates 4 percent of its sales to charity – shoppers get to choose from a list of causes.   www.consciouswine.com

Gov. Kitzhaber proclaims this May as Oregon Wine Month

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has signed a proclamation designating May 2012 as Oregon Wine Month in recognition of the Oregon wine industry’s rapid growth, international reputation for quality and important contribution to the state’s economy.

Speaking to the annual meeting of the Oregon Winegrowers Association in Salem Wednesday, Kitzhaber said, “The Oregon wine industry is not only a key part of our state’s economy — it’s an important part of our state identity. In a state where agriculture is our second largest industry, the wine-grape crop is Oregon’s leading value-added agricultural segment, contributing $2.7 billion annually to the state’s economy.”

It has been several decades since Oregon has officially recognized its wine industry.

The Oregon wine industry comprises more than 420 wineries and 850 vineyards throughout the state and represents more than 13,500 jobs.

“We are thrilled that the governor has signed the proclamation declaring May as Oregon Wine Month,” said Michael Donovan, managing director of RoxyAnn Winery in Medford and chairman of the Oregon Wine Board.

“This is the perfect month to spotlight the importance of our statewide industry, showcase our outstanding wines and recognize the many talented entrepreneurs and hard-working employees who have built the Oregon wine industry into a treasured asset.”

Oregon Wine Month kicks off with a grand tasting of Oregon wines on April 29.

The tasting is open to the public and tickets will go on sale soon.

The tasting of wines from more than 100 Oregon wineries will be held in Portland, and feature wines from across the state.

In addition, participating retailers will conduct promotional campaigns showcasing Oregon wines and offering special pricing.

Many people say they have reactions to sulfites. They most often describe these reactions by saying that they get headaches from sulfites. Here’s a video we did in regard to sulfites in wine, with a focus on the headache factor.

Not too long ago, ConsciousWine received an e-mail saying the following: “I am allergic to so many foods I will not list them out, but found I also have a lot of problems with sulfites. I was directed towards organic wines and was told this was a great place to check out.”

I responded to this e-mail by writing the following:

Hi,

My name is Jeff Weissler. I am a partner in ConsciousWine, and The ConsciousWine Guy. Thanks for reaching out to us. I hope we can help.

I want to be clear that I am not a doctor, although I’ve spent some time studying nutrition to go along with 30 years in the fine wine business and researching the different pieces of ConsciousWine since 2005.

Wine is an interesting and can lead to a group of different reactions in people. I believe the main culprits for someone having a reaction with a wine are sulfites, histamines, dehydration, sugar, and the “energetics” of the wine.

Sulfites in wine are used to prevent oxidation and bacteria from running wild. There is a legal maximum of 350 parts per million (ppm) allowed to be added to wine for these purposes.

Many folks believe sulfites cause headaches, although there is no scientific evidence of that. There is evidence of sulfites causing a reaction in asthmatics. It’s most commonly described as a cotton or stuck feeling in the throat. The Harvard Health Letter has had reports on a condition they describe as “Red Wine Syndrome” where research was done on this.

At ConsciousWine, a big part of our purpose is to help folks figure out what is a good choice (a healthy choice), for both them and the planet.

In regard to your specific question this is what I can say:
When an American wine says,“Organic Wine” on the label, it is a guarantee that there have been zero sulfites added during the winemaking process (that includes right before bottling which is when most wineries add a fair amount of sulfites). This sounds sulfite free, but it is not completely. Sulfites are a natural bi-product of fermentation, and there can be 6-8 ppm sulfites in a wine without adding anything. That was the good news of this little tale. The bad news is to make wine without adding sulfites at all, is incredibly difficult (although not impossible) to end up with a consistent quality product. If no sulfites are added, a single extra yeast or microbial anything can lead to a microbial universe (and flavors not so fun). FYI, sulfites (in small amounts) have been added to wine since Roman times (sulfur was in the candles they used to see when cleaning the vats; burning the sulfur created sulfites).

The most common “Organic Wine” you can find at a store (including most health food stores) is from Frey Vineyards in Mendocino County, CA. They represent outstanding farming practices, are made with tremendous love, but I also feel there is a problem with a frequency of inconsistent quality. They are the most popular and available wines in the US with no sulfites added.

In terms of labels, you should know there is another one called, “Made with Organically Grown Grapes” which does allow for sulfites added. This brings me to sharing a little more with you about ConsciousWine. ConsciousWine goes to vineyards and wineries to find those committed to making what we call wines “Vital to Both Palate and Planet.” We find those wineries and then tell their stories on our website, and offer some of those wines for sale through The Shop on ConsciousWine.com.

All wines on our site have been vetted for 4 Principles. They are:

• 100% organically grown grapes
• sustainably farmed
• creating vital, living products
• that taste great (there is a quality finished product is in the bottle!)

Here’s the link where you can click to get further descriptions of any of the Principles: The 4 Principles

The wines on our site have a maximum of 100 ppm sulfites added. Having said that, most of the wines are more in the 20-50 ppm range.

We have one winery on our site that does not add sulfites to some of their wines – AmByth Estate. Philip & Mary Hart are the owners. Their passion for natural grape growing and winemaking runs to their core. Here’s the link to their page on our website: AmByth Estate Featured Winery Page. You can watch a video or two to get a taste of their style. With the exception of several wines, their wines sell for $45 per bottle, so they are not inexpensive. For comparison, Frey starts in the $15 range. But like they say, you get what you pay for.

Wines on our site do contain minimal sulfites added (with the exception of a few Ambyth Wines and I’ve included that link here: http://consciouswine.com/shop/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=1). Having said that, with all ConsciousWines you do get wine made with a gentle touch that keeps the “life force” from a vital soil and environment intact. I don’t know if they would cause a reaction for you or not, but if you can drink wine without having a reaction, these wines should have a high possibility of success for you.

Thank you so much for reaching out to us, and we’re here to make a difference, and help where we can. Feel free to continue the conversation.

Cheers & Best of Health,

Jeff Weissler & ConsciousWine

AmByth Estate (in Templeton, CA near Paso Robles) has been working hard at making wines without any sulfites being added. That is one of their goals, and what I love most is that they won’t force it. They have an understanding of what it takes from start to finish for a well made product to arrive in bottle at your door, and they stick to that commitment. When nature lets them create a no sulfites in wine opportunity, they jump on it, and the results speak for themselves.

ConsciousWine is excited to be offering 4 wines (2 reds, 2 whites) from AmByth Estate with no sulfites added. They’re all made in tiny amounts. 100 cases were made of the Zinfandel, which is more than the total of the other 3 wines combined. Click on the wine name to discover more about the individual wine and to buy some through our Cyber-Shop (3 bottle minimum order). Their natural winemaking style leads to a balance and diversity of flavors, alcohol levels not in the stratosphere, wines that unwind with air & love being paired with food.

’09 Syrah $35
’10 Bailey’s Zin(fandel) $38
’10 Marsanne $45
’10 Grenache Blanc $45

When the addition of sulfites in wine has been eliminated, the first quest is to discover a stable, quality wine. When you come across one, it’s a blessing! When you discover AmByth Estate it’s amazing! Big shout out to Philip & Mary Hart!!

Trying these naturally made American wines is a delicious opportunity for yourself or anyone that loves wine expressing balance, place, purity and specifically wants to avoid sulfites in wine. They’re available in our Shop.

Cheers and Happy 2012!

Cheers!

Value in Wine: What should a bottle of ‘vital for palate & planet’ wine cost?
Organic Wine
The Wine & Time Play-by-Play
Cultivating a Habit for Natural & Natural Wine
Tasting Wine: Shape Tasting at Dominio IV
The Joy of Listening
Biodynamic Farming & Vineyards: 10 Things to Know
Let it Breathe: A 3 Pronged Perspective
Our New York Launch Party
The Morning After
ConsciousWine & a Movie

ConsciousWine has been on the look out for wineries following our 4 Principles (Organic, Sustainable, Vital, Quality), and came up with a list of the 12 most common sustainable farming practices of wineries following our 4 Principles.

We’ll be doing a series of 12 posts to dig a little deeper into each of those practices. As sustainable farming practices go, animals on the farm is my favorite place to start.

During 2009 and 2010, I took a year long Biodynamic Farming Course at the Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento. With each class, we were given an opportunity to approach the topic from a new perspective. I thought of it like putting on a new pair of glasses to look at the world through, except it was a pair of glasses through which to experience the topic of each individual class.

When it came to the class on animal husbandry (animals on the farm), we were given this pair of metaphorical glasses: “What if, domesticated animals chose to become domesticated? What if, they knew that humanity had lost their way,… and through offering themselves to the farm, they could support the health and well being of the whole. By doing so, humanity’s way of being would return to a balance for the good of all.”

From that perspective, animals on the farm is quite the sustainable farming practice.

I’ve become conscious of (or aware of), that when I’m living in (or visiting), an area that welcomes animals into it (wild and domesticated), something about that just perks me up. It makes me want to be more attentive and conscious, which reminds me of why we named ConsciousWine ConsciousWine.

The idea is to bring awareness to how we taste, and to what’s happening on the farm and in the winery. That’s what our principles, practices and mission are all about. Now back to the sustainable farming practice animals on the farm…

Animals are part of nature. They are part of the balance. When removed, something is missing, and we can feel it. Do you agree? Maybe we even end up losing a very basic connection to nature and natural law.

Over and over I am reminded there’s a vitality when you go outside that all animals and all life are meant to be part of. When this natural system is whole do things just work better? Go for a walk in the woods and see how that feels. Do you know what I’m talking about?

There’s a book called Ishmael by Daniel Quinn that comes to mind as I’m writing this. It speaks a lot to the effects of agriculture onto society and the world.

I’m a believer that a farm with animals just kicks it up a notch.

What types of animals are vineyards including?

-Sheep, cows, pigs, goats, chickens, birds, horses, cats, dogs, bees…

What’s the benefit of having them there?

-From eating weeds, to helping fertilize the soil, to adding their particular personality, to supporting the natural predatory cycle. Animals on the farm bring their special unique vitality, and very importantly support biodiversity.

What are some of the individual benefits of each type of animal, and what’s the name of a few wineries with that type of animal on their farm?

-Sheep: Natural lawn mowers controlling unwanted vegetation (alternative to herbicides and mowing); can be an extra special help in wet years when farmers may not be able to get tractors easily into the vineyard. Wineries with sheep? Benziger (Sonoma, CA), Tres Sabores (Napa, CA).

-Cows: Provide manure for compost; a major piece of a biodynamic approach to farming. Wineries with cows? Ambyth Estate (Paso Robles, CA), Araujo Estate (Napa, CA).

-Goats: Goats can be a problem in that they do like to eat grape leaves and chewing on things, but they also produce whey. Once a goat gives birth, they produce milk. From the milk can come cheese, and in the course of producing curds (from which cheese is made), a large quantity of whey results. Whey is a nutrient rich liquid that when diluted becomes a potent ‘mildew-cide’ (fungicide). Wineries with goats? La Clarine Farm (Sierra Foothills, CA), Belle Pente Winery (Willamette Valley, OR).

-Chickens: Contribute to the overall biodiversity cycle supporting an harmonious interaction of soil, vegetation, insects and the whole. One example was described to me as, “the chickens keep the horses’ paddocks and stables free of ticks and mites as they love to forage for insects and will even overturn stones to find them. By keeping chickens in the vineyards, we are free of vine weevils and mealy bug activity and along with our sheep, they ensure that our vineyards are kept in tiptop shape whilst their nitrogen rich droppings fertilize the soil.” Wineries with chickens? Big Table Farm (Willamette Valley, OR), Dark Horse Ranch/Paul Dolan Wine (Mendocino, CA).

-Birds: A diverse bird population is a sign of a healthy diverse eco-system. Some birds present problems in the vineyard (Robins and Starlings), but a diverse population in the environs is a very good sign. Recently, Southern Oregon’s Cowhorn Vineyards won an award for most “Bird Friendly Vineyard” in a competition created by the Klamath Bird Observatory.

-Bees: There are 2 documentaries that spell it out far better than I could explain. “Vanishing of the Bees” and “Queen of the Sun” are 2 movies that transform perspectives. If the honey bee goes away, so probably do we. Wineries with bee hives? Michel Schlumberger (Dry Creek Valley, CA), Littorai (Russian River Valley, CA).

If your passion for animals runs deep, there’s a non-profit to know about in Southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley. They are a “care farm” where people, animals and the earth work together for mutual healing.  In discovering the wonderful things happening at Sanctuary One at Double Oak Farm, we might start embracing  that sustainable farming practices really do include animals on the farm!

Watch winemaker and co-owner of AmByth Estate, Philip Hart, speak about animals on his farm.

Shopping for wine this holiday season? Shop at ConsciousWine.com and select The Food Bank at checkout to donate 4% of the total sale to help end hunger. Thank you Michel-Schlumberger Winery for nominating us for this program! Get info »

Michel-Schlumberger 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley)
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 91

Price: $32/750 ml
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California, US
Producer: Michel-Schlumberger
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Category: Red

Notes: Cabs from this appellation, no matter how ripe they are, always seem to have a brawny, briary edge to them, and this wine is no exception. The blackberries might have been picked in a dusty, thorny patch. Something about the acidy, tannic structure is appealing. S.H. (12/31/2004) — 91

Ambyth Wine Estate crafts fine biodynamic wines out of Templeton Gap

Biodynamic pioneers Mary and Phillip Hart’s Templeton hilltop estate originally planted with vineyards in 2004 has become more of a farm. For the owners, it’s a lifestyle choice. And a healthy one at that, they said.

The Harts, owners of Paso Robles American Viticultural Area’s only certified biodynamic/organic vineyard and winery, say they never undertook the niche certification for the money or the marketing boost it would provide in a culture arguably intrigued with sustainable buzzwords like biodynamic and organic, but their wines happen to be both.

Witnessing the growth of the vines and evolution of farming practices on their estate — situated in the Templeton Gap and cooled by Pacific coastal breezes — is part of what characterizes the “new ancient,” as Phillip coined it, for Ambyth Estate Wines.

“Huge,” Phillip said as he stood perched looking at the two cows mowing weeds on the estate vines in response to the question: How has the growth been on the vineyard since it was planted?

The vines — stronger. Grape clusters — more organized. From a wine-growing perspective, advancement as one could hope, according to Phillip.

Sixty-five apple and pear trees, more than 60 fruit and nut trees and eight beehives adorn the property. Chickens bear eggs that the family eats. Two sheep that roamed the property, fertilizing it, are now in the freezer, awaiting an epicurean twist. Rabbits are reared for weed-eating and eventual consumption.

“We’re not just a vineyard,” he said. “We have become much more of a farm.”

The couple’s love of the land is visible at every step of the way at Ambyth Estate. Olive-oil lovers have been known to make the trek all the way to Ambyth to pick up what Phillip described as fine an olive oil as one can get. Five-hundred-and-forty olive trees adorn the property, producing a two-and-a-half-ton harvest last year.

In addition to the dry-farmed olives, the Harts make their own honey from beehives situated throughout the Templeton property.

“That was outstanding — just to have our own extra virgin olive oil,” Phillip said. “In my opinion, it’s as fine of an olive oil as you can find on this planet. It is purchased by people just the same as honey — it’s just good stuff. Here, right out of the winery.”

He’s quick to point out that whole farming/biodynamic component wasn’t necessarily in the couple’s master plan. It was just “the path that just keeps opening up.”

“When I think by being biodynamic, the path has opened up more because it does tend to make you read more to understand what you’re doing,” he said.

What follows is a learn-and-dothrough- reading approach that’s allowed him to see what others have done successfully on their properties, and then emulate it.

“There’s a gas that apples give off that’s great for all other growing plants,” he said, offering up a theoretical example. “You go, ‘Ooh, I have a west fence that the breeze comes through every day — that would be a great idea.’ That kind of stuff. Really, that’s how it happens.”

“It was never a marketing plan,” he said. “It was a choice of a way of life, but there seems to be a nice peripheral sides that go with that.”

In fact, the proprietor and Persian rug aficionado said he’s not heavy on the whole certification side of things. Although Ambyth carries the heavy organic and biodynamic certifications, it blends in nicely with the natural approach already being undertaken at the farm.

Despite any preconceptions about the mysticism steeped in biodynamic farming, Hart professes that biodynamic pioneer Rudolf Steiner “is no guru,” nor a “prophet,” simply someone who took information from the past and spoke about it in a way that people could understand intellectually and move forward.

“It’s not a mystical way of farming — it’s actually an old-fashioned way of farming,” he said.

The “natural way” of farming biodynamically appeals to Mary, too.

“It’s a safe environment that we’ve created here on our property, not only for our family but for our animals, any beneficial predators or insects that we have. Visitors, if people come and eat at my table they’re going to get food that is healthy and clean for their bodies, and wine as well,” she said.

At Ambyth, Phillip handles the vineyard and winery. Mary takes charge of the gardens, fruit and nut trees, small animals.

“We’re trying to create a closed system,” Mary said. “Things just keep going — it’s circular.”

That’s not to say that biodynamism isn’t something that’s misunderstood by the vast majority of farmers and wine enthusiasts.

“Some people are wide open to it, and of course as with everything else in life, other people are absolutely closed shut, and that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with it,” Hart said.

According to the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, the movement laid its roots in the 1920s with a group of practicing farmers who were concerned with the decline in the health of soils, plants and animals, and sought the advice of Steiner, founder of anthroposophy. The movement embraces a “unified approach to agriculture that relates the ecology of the farm-organism to that of the entire cosmos,” according to the group.

It’s an approach, from the preps to the harvest that the Harts believe in. From planting the vines to making the wines, all facets of winemaking occur onsite at their estate.

Among natural approaches, the Harts do not fine or filter and use only native yeasts. Lower alcohol level wines are sought after.

“Take a look at the property,” Phillip said, offering evidence of the success of biodynamism. “Look at the vines.”

Wines harvested from Ambyth vines are oftentimes described as “interesting,” said Phillip. That — and they’re “very pleasing.”

“I typically hear that they’re all different,” he said. “I think that’s what you get when you go this way. The question of do I really believe in it? Well, it’s self-evident.”

Just this year, the couple purchased quartz from an exclusive New York distributor to be buried in the vineyard, among other prep work undertaken.

Varietals grown on the property include grenache, grenache blanc, mourvedre, syrah, viognier, Rousanne and Cuonoise.

Last year’s vineyard crop was good, in part due to the rain, according to Phillip. This year, the couple has decided to take a step back and sell about half the fruit in order to take a breath and tend to some of the other things around the farm.

Hart comfortably described the zero growth statistic in sales for Ambyth wines in 2010 from the year prior, which he described as “pathetic,” and “a horrible year business-wise.”

“You should have growth in those early years,” he said, adding, “This year we’re on target for where I thought we were last.”

People do travel the beaten path to seek out Ambyth, the couple said. For Mary and Phillip, it’s always kind of fun to see visitors seek out their estate-grown wines, from places near and far. They’ve grown to learn just how many natural wine enthusiasts there are out there. Though limited (and admittedly not providing an exciting business climate due to its limited range), they’re a dedicated bunch that will single Ambyth out for a taste of something distinct and different.

“I didn’t quite realize how many biodynamic wine nuts there were out there,” Phillip said. “Natural wine nuts — and I say that in a friendly way because I’m a natural wine nut.”

Sharing qualities comparable to the world-renowned Châteauneuf-du-Pape region of France’s southern Rhône Valley, Cowhorn sits alongside Southern Oregon’s pristine Applegate River. The farm is fringed by frontier forests on the edge of America’s great western wilderness and supported by soils that are perfectly suited for Grenache, Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, and Viognier. Cowhorn’s classic Rhône varietals result in well-balanced wines with low alcohol and high aroma that express signature subtleties of the farm’s unique soils.

After completing grad school at UC Davis in the late 1990s, Patrick Reuter and his wife, Leigh Bartholomew, worked at wineries in Napa, Chile, New Zealand, and Burgundy. Eventually they made their way to Oregon, where Leigh found a job as the vineyard manager at Archery Summit.

Patrick and Leigh decided to start making small batches under their own label, Dominio IV, using two European varieties that they thought were underappreciated in the New World: Syrah and Tempranillo. Tempranillo is a natural bridge between Pinot and Cabernet, and not many people had tried cultivating it in Oregon. After scouring the state, they found an ideal hillside parcel in Mosier, at the northern edge of the Columbia Gorge appellation. In 2001, they cleared the land and planted seven acres of vines. While waiting for their own vineyard to come online, Patrick and Leigh got Dominio IV off the ground by making tiny batches of wine with fruit they’d sourced from a few top growers. And in addition to producing the two reds, they also decided to try making Viognier.

Viognier is the temperamental northern-Rhone variety most often associated with Condrieu, where it grows on the steep hillsides. It came into vogue in the late 1980s, but most efforts to cultivate it in the New World have been a failure. The best examples, however, are among the most aromatically complex white wines in the world.

Patrick and LeighFor this Viogner, “The Scarecrow,” Patrick and Leigh sourced all of the fruit from the Fort Miller Vineyard at the opposite end of the state in Talent. Patrick told me that he sought out this vineyard “because it was in the hottest, driest part of the state’s warmest appellation”–the Rogue Valley. Viognier can really thrive even in the heat. France’s inferno summer of 2003, for example, produced the most critically acclaimed Condrieu in years. The heat and elevation of the vineyard in Talent Dominio IV’s Viognier pronounced natural acidity and well-developed, but not roasted, fruit.

Patrick and Leigh named this wine “The Scarecrow” and said that it “protects and conjures the aromas and fruits we found in and Indian garden on the edge of a village called Pushkar. The unctious texture of the grape will envelope its present fresh and crisp nature to create a deeply round and complex creaminess with mysterious second and third aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle.” Drink now-2011.

For many of us, food is a huge part of the holidays. Personally, it’s the best part (after family, etc., etc.)! Beginning with my 23-pound, fresh, roasted turkey and my sister’s homemade pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and ending with my mom’s filet mignon, broccoli with hollandaise, and mud pie on Christmas Day, I am thankful to be able to share wonderful meals with my family and friends.

This year will be a little different though. For the first time, I will be giving extra thought to what wines I will be serving with this year’s feasts. Sure, we’ve always served wine with our holiday dinners, but this year we will be serving wines with purpose. This year, I will be serving wines from the Conscious Wineries. These are wines made from 100% organically grown grapes that were sustainably farmed and taste great!

Working here at ConsciousWine has given me the opportunity to taste and compare many of the wines available through the Shop. I have learned a lot about pairing wines by matching their weight to the weight of the foods served. I’ve also learned a lot about the way wine tastes when paired with different foods – and yes, the same wine does taste different when paired with a variety of flavors. To me, the most important thing is taste and drinkability. I have to admit, some wines just don’t appeal to my novice palate…especially if they are too dry or to bitter. So, I considered all of my new knowledge when picking this year’s dinner companions.

Luckily, for my family and friends, this Thanksgiving dinner will be served with two delicious wines…one red and one white. To tell you the truth, it never occurred to me to served red wine with Thanksgiving turkey. I’ve always obeyed the rule: white with fish and fowl; red with beef and lamb. Well, I guess I wasn’t drinking the right wines back then and now I am breaking the rule!  When you find a wine you love, chances are it goes with the food you love too.

I have to give you a little history…before working with Vinny and Jeff at ConsciousWine, I rarely drank wine. I was a devoted gin and tonic girl. Of course I would have the obligatory glass of wine to be socially appropriate at formal dinner parties, but inside I was pining for my G&T.  Anyway, back to this Thanksgiving…

This year, both wines come from an Oregon winery called Dominio IV (if you’re interested in learning more about the winemaker, vineyards and winery, check out their Featured Winery page). For red lovers, I’ll pour the Pinot Noir “Of Poetry and Roses,” and for white drinkers the Viognier, “Still Life.”

“Of Poetry and Roses” ($28) is really special. I know that sounds ridiculous, but try it and you’ll agree. It is light and clean, making it very easy to drink. It pairs well with the weight of the turkey and trimmings. Unlike some very heavy reds, this beauty will not overpower the meal. I tried it with a few girlfriends, and we all fell in love with it. Try it out for yourself.

“Still Life” ($22) is the 2010 Viognier from Dominio IV. My husband and I couldn’t get enough of last year’s “Dragonfly Rising,” so we thought we’d give this vintage a try. We were not disappointed! It’s crisp and fresh. You rarely see a Viognier on the shelf, at least in the NYC suburbs, so don’t be surprised if you can’t find one in the liquor store to compare it to. If you like Chardonnay, give this one a try, it is terrific.

Well, I know my husband and I will enjoy the wine this Thanksgiving, and I hope our families do too. Each bottle is very special, not only for its flavor but because of the way the grapes were grown (100% organic), and because of the winemakers who turn fruit into these magical, natural wines, with minimal intervention from vine to bottle. We give thanks for both.

Happy Thanksgiving!

How to Taste Wine, The Basics:
-What’s to be found in a glass of wine? This video shows you a very simple, non-technical taste point of view that will amp up your taste buds, and make it easier to see how a winemaker sees.

Wine & Food Pairing Fundamentals:
-You’ll discover how a very simple flavor (ex: lemon) can change your experience of a wine. This video takes you through a series of flavors all paired with the same wine, then gives you 3 basic rules to experiment with at home or out ‘n about.

The Wine & Time “Play by Play”:
-How does air change a wine? What happens to a wine once you’ve opened the bottle? How long will the wine last? In this video, you’ll watch the same wine change over 5 days of being exposed to air. It’s long, so grab a glass of wine, and let the ‘Play-by-Play’ be a supportive guide.

The Play by Play

00:01 Very enthusiastic intro

00:43 What is natural wine?

01:48 Meet winemaker Bill Steele

2:10 Overview of what we’re doing

3:55 Tasting the 1st wine: A freshly opened bottle

5:49 Tasting the 2nd wine: Opened 1 day before

8:40 Tasting the 3rd wine: Opened 2 days before

12:05 Tasting the 4th wine: Opened 3 days before

15:20 Tasting the 5th wine: Opened 4 days before

17:00 Natural wine loves to unfold, like we do

“The Pleasure In The Glass,” “The Wine & Food Experience,” and “Wine & Time” are part of what makes ConsciousWine a consciousness raising experience. We hope this gives you a couple of tools to support what you already know, or engages you in new ideas to enhance your enjoyment of wine.

Happy Holidays!

Wine in general needs to open a while, and we’re talking more than an hour. Imagine wine that gets better for several days once opened, maybe 3, 4, or 5 days. To see a wine’s personality change before your very eyes and palate, check out our video called “Wine ‘n Time.” It will show you how a wine changes in flavor, structure and balance over 4 full days after the bottle is opened.

Okay, you get up in the morning, you stretch, breathe, get some water in you, a little coffee, step outside, breathe some more air, go for a walk… you’re waking up, and you start to find your mojo for the day.

If a wine is alive why wouldn’t it need its own version of that? If we expect a wine to taste great as soon as it’s opened, we might be missing the story of the nature of natural wine. Many wines do taste great upon first sip, then kind of lose it within that first day. That gets my curiosity juices going. Is the wine making a little too involved in creating a flavor dynamic to immediately satisfy our taste buds? What is natural wine? What is the nature of wine, and the idea of terroir expressing itself in a wine?

I like the question, “Is the wine living?” To get a little Star Wars, does the wine have a life force? I was discussing this with Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon and we spoke about the winemaker minimizing distortion. That is when a winery uses designer yeast, drip irrigation, harvesting super ripe grapes, using lots of new oak, and over cropping, one of the things that happens is you distort the terroir to signal factor. How can a winemaker create the clearest non-distorted signal possible? What we’re talking about here is keeping the life force intact, and making wines that express sense of place.

I’m drawn to ask, can wines that are full of life do a better job of supporting life? I’m thinking ConsciousWine is about living wine, wine that’s full of life, has a life force, and re-framing organic in the wine world in a way that supports people, place & planet. Now that’s something to chew on!

Organic wine is a term used in reference to a combination of both farming practices and wine making regulations. The legal term “Organic Wine” mandates that no sulfites can be added to the wine throughout the winemaking process. That is a different conversation for another time, and here’s a link to a recent article that speaks to it.

A talented and passionate friend and co-conspirator (in the commitment to conscious choices as consumers and citizens of the world) joins me periodically to engage in an audio conversation called ‘Chew on This. I’d like you to meet Kymberli Colbourne.

Kymberli feeds me questions and engages in conversation around different chewy topics. This topic of this audio is organically grown grapes.

You’ll discover:
-why organically grown grapes are better?
-what happened to organic wine?
-what does conventional farming really mean?
-where did synthetic fertilizers & pesticides come from?

Organically Grown Grapes

Organically grown grapes is the beginning to a whole systems approach and a great place to start… again. I’m reminded of a bumper sticker I saw not too long ago: “Organic food… What our grandparents used to call food.”

For another “Chew on This” conversation check out this one on sustainability: Sustainable Approach to Farming
Cheers!

Superb Wines That Underscore the Importance of Family
Oregon riesling and pinot that will pair perfectly with your November feast

Jimi Brooks was one of the leaders of the biodynamic movement in Oregon winemaking when he died unexpectedly in 2004. At that moment, Jimi’s sister, Jane, flew up to Oregon to determine what to do with the grapes he had purchased for his 7th vintage of Brooks wines, then a 3,000-case producer of some of Oregon’s finest riesling and pinot noir.

Much to Jane’s heart-warming surprise, Jimi’s friends and colleagues in the Oregon wine industry had rallied, choosing to make the wines from his vineyard sites for free in the first year after his death. Thereafter, Jane stepped in to run Brooks Wines full-time (gratis) on behalf of the brand’s owner–Jimi’s 15- year old son andJane’s nephew, Pascal. Jimi’s original assistant winemaker, Chris, continues to make Brooks wines today.

When Team Bottlenotes tasted the Brooks line-up, we concluded that they truly demonstrate the nuances of Oregon riesling and pinot noir. From the minerally, green apple-driven whites (whether bone-dry or succulently sweet) to the red raspberry and black cherry-driven, European-weight reds, the Brooks family’s wines would be PERFECT additions to any Thanksgiving table. As such, they are also a perfect reminder of the thanks we should all have for loyal, loving family members.