Fringe benefits

DESPITE having been available for a number of years, organic wine has never managed to achieve the cachet of its cousins in the food hall.

Part of the problem, one suspects, lies with the simple matter of taste. Whereas an organic carrot or a free-range chicken tastes a good deal better than its non-organic counterparts, with wine there is very little to differentiate between the two. In fact, in many cases organic wine has been its own worst enemy, with poor quality levels hiding behind an impressive-looking certificate on the front label.

Supporters claim that organic wine is purer, but it's worth pointing out that 'organic' in the wine sense effectively means wine made from organically grown grapes – in other words, the vineyards haven't been sprayed with a cocktail of chemicals to combat weeds, disease and other unwelcome pests. Nor have they been bolstered with laboratory-produced fertilisers or nutritional additives.

This can prove problematic if you are growing grapes in damp, humid climates where disease and rot are rife. Thus the organic method is very much one of prevention. Good canopy management, weed management and soil health are their primary concerns.

Is this a good thing? The science is inconclusive. Nobody really knows the long-term effects of the residues of man-made chemicals on either ourselves or the environment. Yet there is plenty of unpleasant circumstantial evidence out there to scare the pants off the most ardent sceptic.

In my book, anything that promotes purity gets the thumbs-up, yet the real measure is taste. I recently tasted my way through more than 130 wines at the invitation of organic specialist Vintage Roots, in Scotland to show off its list.

Vintage Roots was set up 21 years ago by Neil Palmer and Lance Pigott with the aim of selling organic and biodynamic wine. By their own admission it has not been an easy ride. I heard from one source that when they first started back in the mid-1980s "people actually laughed". I can well believe the more senior wine merchants in St James's guffawing into their claret.

"It is now much more accepted," says Janet Bungener of Vacqueyras producer Le Clos de Caveau. "When my father-in-law first started his organic vineyard in 1989 he didn't tell anyone. At that time people didn't think it was a normal wine. But now there is a much bigger choice, more people are producing organic wines and so it is easier for the consumer to find better-quality wine at a reasonable price."

One thing is clear from this tasting: organic wine is a serious category in its own right. Producers such as Gaudry in the Loire, Brocard in Chablis, Chapoutier in the Rhône and Fleury in Champagne are welcome in my cellar any day.

But there are also offbeat wines worth exploring. The 2006 Douro Branco Quinta do Côa from Portugal (around £7) is a case in point. It has attractive oak, a strong, muscular acidity and an intense, powerful finish.

Organic wine may still sit largely on the fringes, but on the evidence of what I tasted, the quality is clearly improving. One suspects their time may finally have come.

2007 Grüner Veltliner, Meinklang, Austria, £6

Perhaps not the best-known grape variety in the world but one definitely worth hunting down. Light, bright and zesty with a vibrant peppery acidity and a rounded, extracted finish.

2005 Mendocino Pinot Noir, Barra Estate Vineyards, California, £7

This really stood out in terms of both its quality and value for money. A wonderfully open nose infused with ripe raspberry and strawberry notes. Great acidity and a feminine, subtle finish.

2004 AOC Vacqueyras Fruit Sauvage, Clos du Caveau, Rhône, France, £9

This small Côtes du Rhône village was only awarded its own appellation in 1990. For those unfamiliar with its wines the style they lean towards is the powerful and rustic. This example has a glorious, spicy, concentrated character. Perfect with a heavy stew.

Stockists: Vine Organic, 141 St James Road, Glasgow (www.vineorganic.co.uk, 0141 303 8204); Vintage Roots (0800 980 4992, www.vintageroots.co.uk). Please note that prices may vary