ORGANIC wine has long been its own worst enemy, but now it has quality and flavour to rival any big brand.
HAS anyone been following the latest spat in The Archers, between holier-than-thou Tom Archer and his nemesis-cum-business-partner Brian Aldridge? So gripped am I by the tension between the two farmers over Archer's organic sausage business that I ha
ve been tuning in from the wine route in South America.
For those of you who have not been following events in Ambridge, allow me to fill you in. The present tiff has surfaced over a deal to supply the arch-enemy of rural Britain: the large supermarket chain. Archer, who in a previous life was nearly bankrupted by a fictional supermarket, only to be financially rescued by Aldridge, wants nothing to do with it. Aldridge, being an agro-wheeler-dealer, is keen to expand and has gone behind Archer's back and signed on the dotted line. Archer is understandably livid by this betrayal. Who knows where it will end?
The car park of the Bull probably – but these two have form. Aldridge has already downgraded Archer's sausages from organic status with the argument that what the punter really wants is value for money. In a recession, if anyone is going to shell out a little more they will do so only for premium products, not necessarily those from the organic aisle.
I tend to agree with Aldridge. If only Ambridge had some vineyards, for this little local difficulty over sausages could equally be about wine.
When Neil Palmer and Lance Pigott established their organic wine merchant Vintage Roots more than 20 years ago, people actually laughed. These days, they are more likely to shrug. Organic products have lost their novelty. It's possible to get organic everything now, from eggs, milk and tea to shampoo and even cat food, and there are also plenty of organic wines out there. But to succeed, organic products have to compete on flavour.
Whereas an organic carrot or a free-range chicken often 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 hiding behind an impressive-looking certificate on the label. If pushed, I would rather trade up than buy a wine simply for its organic status.
Part of the problem lies with the definition of organic. In a wine sense, it actually 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.
All of these factors are obviously welcome. But there is better news. Vintage Roots also stocks some profoundly tasty wines. Its 1995 Fleury Brut is probably the most serious organic wine I have tasted. With a rich, honeyed, nutty flavour, it comes in at the very top end of the champagne spectrum. At nearly £50, it's by no means cheap, but its very existence is a huge fillip for organic wine. After years of languishing beside the muesli, it can finally take its place among the big boys.
THREE TO TRY
2007 Adobe Carmenère, Colchagua Valley, Chile, 13.5%, £6.99There is nothing organic in character about this wine, which I mean as a compliment. It's just very good Chilean carmenère, with an attractive dark colour, a nose of cherries and plums and a kick of spice.
DO Cava Brut Reserva, Albet i Noya Cava, Spain, 12%, £10.95Cava is in cracking form at the moment, and there are some excellent examples entering the UK. This is a case in point. With a delicate, flowery nose, it has a trace of apples and a soft, clean finish.
1995 Fleury Brut, Champagne, France, 12.5%, £49I'm forever being asked to recommend vintage champagne for special celebrations. This may not have the glamorous impact of a well-known house, but in the glass it performs exquisitely. A long, dry palate gives way to a rich, honeyed, nutty, hazelnut character. Simply sensational.
STOCKISTS Vintage Roots (0800 980 4992, www.vintageroots.co.uk); Majestic(0131 662 8512, www.majestic.co.uk)
Wine deals of the week2007 Maycas Reserva Chardonnay, Limari Valley, Chile, 14.4% Usually £9.49 each – buy three for £20 and save £8.47, at Oddbins
Casillero del Diablo Carmenère, Chile, 13.5% Usually £6.99, now £4.65, save 33% at Sainsbury's
2006 Pinot Noir La Grille VDQS, St Pourcain, France, 12% Usually £5.99, buy two bottles at £4.99 each, save £2 at Majestic
