Let’s Go Organic! January Wine Club Picks

14 Jan Brian Hutcheson No Comments

As promised and finally getting into the swing of things for the new year, here we go with a brief description of the red and white wines chosen for the Wine Club in January. This month we are featuring two delicious and reasonably priced organic wines.

The red wine this month is a 2012 Bodegas Iranzo Vertus Tempranillo. Here’s a glimpse into the history behind this wonderful wine. Bodegas Iranzo produces the oldest estate bottled wines in Spain. The first recorded written evidence of the vineyard estate, Canada Honda owned by the Iranzo Perez-Duque family dates back to 1335 as granted by King Pedro I of Castilla. Since 1994 they have exclusively produced wine from organically grown grapes making Bodegas Iranzo one of the oldest established vineyards in Spain to apply this European Organic regulation. The vine cultivation system used encourages the creation of a micro-climate at the level of the plant’s organism. Optimum temperature, insulation and humidity constant for producing grapes that ripen perfectly is a fundamental factor in obtaining quality fruit with minimal human intervention. This traditional artisan wine making craft passed on for generations in the family combined with exclusive organic agriculture and the wine making process results in the finest of Organic Spanish Red Wines direct from their family.

The white wine this month is a 2014 Frey Agriculturist Blanc. This organic Agriculturist Blanc was originally created exclusively for Whole Foods customers. It comprises a delicious blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling grapes. Blended as a counterpart to the original Frey Organic Agriculturist red wine, the Blanc follows suit as a food-friendly and versatile wine. Fermented in stainless steel and minimal manipulation in the cellar keeps the flavors crisp and clean. Aromas of honeysuckle lead the way to refreshing tropical fruit flavors, nuanced by starfruit and lychee. Lush Chardonnay forms the body of the blend and Sauvignon Blanc delivers a hint of sweet grass. A whisper of 5% Riesling provides a delicate touch of citrus-honey on the finish. Like the floral wreath engraving on the label, the Organic Agriculturist Blanc is the epitome of summer’s bounty waiting to burst forth. This wine pairs well either with grilled fish topped with peach salsa, or Vietnamese lettuce wraps with a sweet chili dipping sauce.