This week’s featured “wine of the week” returns to the new world wine country of Chile, South America with my favorite varietal, Pinot Noir. Not every wine I try becomes a wine of the week, but with careful research, looking for a great value, knowing the region and country of origin along with the varietal, and my handy ‘delectable’ app, I am confident that my choice will be a good one.
What makes this wine special is the fact that it is organic, vegan, and is under $15. The organic wine category in the wine industry is booming. The demand for organic wine is on the rise. It represents about 4% of the worldwide wine consumption, and it is becoming more and more relevant. It is expected to be one of the biggest growing categories in the wine business, which can lead to a decrease in price in the future. Producers are committed to a minimal environmental impact. This means a conscious use of natural resources, like water, and natural products that replace chemical agents.
Some benefits of organic wine include protection against harmful chemicals. The organic product excludes the use of pesticides.If you’re allergic or sensitive to sulfites, organic wines are a good option, since they usually have smaller concentration of sulfites. The consumption of organic wine is a way of promoting the use of green technologies that favor the care of the planet.
How much does organic wine cost? Organic wine may cost a little more compared to “conventional” wine as a result of production costs. The use of chemicals in the vineyard helps reduce costs in traditional wine growing. However, you can find high quality organic wines at reasonable prices (this wine, for example), which allows conscious and frugal consumers to give it a sip.
Viña Cono Sur was born around the first Pinot Noir vines planted in the Colchagua Valley of Chile. In the 60s, the region was considered a cool climate area and ideal for the variety. And that inspired them to adopt Pinot Noir as their flagship variety and established a goal of producing the best Pinot Noir in Chile. Cono Sur was the first Chilean winery to export Pinot Noir and currently produces different styles of Pinot, organic (fairly new from their product line), non-organic, single vineyard, and reserve. The labels on the bottles depict the brand’s iconic bicycle.
Cono Sur (Spanish) translates to “The Southern Cone”, which is a geographical and cultural subregion composed of the southernmost areas of South America, mostly south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Made from organically grown grapes sourced in the Colchagua, San Antonio and Bio-Bio valleys, this well balanced, delicate, and surprisingly juicy is brimming with floral, fig, red fruit, in particular cherry, savory, and earthiness. With soft medium tannins, medium flavor intensity, medium body, it was a joy to drink. This bottle does have a whopping 14.5% alcohol content, which is on the higher end of PN. I love the winery’s commitment to the environment. On the back label, there’s a certification stamp for being carbon neutral as well.
Serve it with grilled mushrooms, baked salmon, pork, goat cheese and pizza (a favorite of mine). Highly recommend! Look for it online or at your favorite shop.
Cheers,
Michael