Finding the best organic wine takes some effort. Organic wine brands vary in how they label bottles of wine. Further, organic practices in Napa Valley and France may not look the same. Use this guide to find delicious bottles of wine.
The Best Organic Wine: Is It Better Quality Wine?
Seeking out the best organic wine is fun, yet it has challenges. It cannot be easy to define organic winemaking precisely. As a result, some organic wine producers may embrace the label as a marketing advantage. After all, the wine industry needs to earn a profit. That said, The Drinks Business recently reported that ecological marketing might not lead to higher quality wines, according to researchers.
Ultimately, the best way to conclude organic winemaking is to try several organic wines and see which ones you like the most.
The Best Organic Wines From France
The wine industry in France has a reputation for producing wine in a conservative, traditional way. In many ways, that traditional approach is wise because it leads to world-class wines that are enjoyed all over the world. That said, the country’s wine experts and wine producers are increasingly responding to the demand for organic wines. We’re going to dive right into the wines – other resources are better equipped to offer in-depth discussions of farming methods.
1) Château de la Liquiere Les Amandiers Faugères 2019
- Wine Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- Retail Price: estimated at $16 per bottle
The flavor profile of this organic red wine features both black fruit (i.e., blackberry and blueberry) and red fruit flavors such as strawberry. The wine experts at Vivino note that this organic product has a rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars from wine drinkers. In the field of entry-level wines, Château de la Liquiere is a strong entry.
2) Chateau d’Yquem
- Wine Region: Bordeaux, France
- Retail Price: $499 per bottle – keep in mind that many wine critics consider Chateau d’Yquem to be the definition of world-class wines.
Among wine lovers, Chateau d’Yquem has a legendary century. The winery has been making some of the world’s best bottles of wine for centuries. Recently, the winery made a switch to organic practices. Starting in 2019, the Chateau d’Yquem winemaking process is 100% organic. Bottles of wine from Chateau d’Yquem from before 2019 may not be considered organic.
The newly organic producer has an excellent reputation for producing sweet wine. If you are looking for a dessert wine in place of a tawny port, Chateau d’Yquem might be the perfect wine for you.
3) JCB No. 69 Rosé Burgundy
- Wine Region: Burgundy, France
- Retail Price: $25 per bottle according to Vivino
This sparkling wine from Burgundy recently earned recognition from Vivino – it was featured in the 2020 wine style awards. As an entry into the world of affordable wines, this bottle of Pinot Noir is a good value. With an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, many wine drinkers enjoy this wine. The wine’s fruit flavors include lime, strawberry, and raspberry.
4) J.P. Chenet Cabernet-Syrah
- Wine Region: Pay’s d’Oc, France
- Retail Price: under $15 per bottle
This red wine blend from southern France (consider contrasting it with an Italian red blend) is a popular choice for a reason. The wine has earned a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars on Wine-Searcher. If the other French organic bottles above are outside of your budget, this wine blend might be just the pick for you. J.P. Chenet is well known as one of the largest French wine producers in the business today.
The Best Organic Wine From Canada
Many international wine enthusiasts miss Canadian wine. Use this guide to organic bottles to find a Canadian wine for your today in a local wine shop or from an online retailer.
1) Southbrook Connect White VQA
- Wine Region: Niagara, Ontario, Canada
- Retail Price: under $15 per bottle
This white wine blend offers fruit flavors such as plum and melon. With 9.6% alcohol content, this organic wine is also relatively light. In Ontario, it is available for a very reasonable price of $15.95. Online retailers in other countries may charge a higher price.
2) Free Form Wines
- Wine Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
- Retail Price: $20 to $50 per bottle (Canadian dollars)
This Canadian wine producer achieved international recognition in 2018 when it was included in Decanter’s list of the Most Exciting Wines of 2018. Despite that recognition, wines from the producer’s organic vineyards remain available at a reasonable price. According to the winery website, the Free Form White is a wine blend of three varieties: Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viognier. Expect to taste tropical fruit when you enjoy this bottle of wine.
3) Kalala Organic Estate Winery
- Wine Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada.
- Retail Price: varies from $24 to $55 for the red wines. The winery also offers organic wine clubs to order regular wine deliveries.
The Best Organic Wines From the United States
Due to the popularity of organic food in the US, many different organic wine brands in the US. Since US wines are not the focus of Travel by Glass, I will only cover a few examples. For more examples, take a look at Wine Enthusiast Magazine and other experts.
1) Dry Farm Wines
- Wine Region: mainly imports organic grapes from Europe
- Retail Price: varies. With a six-bottle subscription, the per bottle price is under $30
This American winery is described as sugar-free and produces natural wines from organic grapes. Dry Farm Wines is different from other wine producers because they buy organic grapes from approximately 600 family farmers. There is a downside to this approach – it is more difficult to know where your wine comes from. The company produces a variety of wines with an average alcohol content of 12%.
2) Bonterra Chardonnay Organic
- Wine Region: Mendocino, California (just north of Sonoma)
- Retail Price: the wines are sold for less than $20 per bottle at the winery
The winery produces a well-regarded organic Chardonnay which has earned praise from wine experts like James Suckling. The flavor profile includes a buttery taste and green apples. The wine is produced in a combination of American oak and French oak.
3) Montinore Estate
- Wine Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
- Retail Price: the certified organic Pinot Noir sells for an average price of $20 per bottle, according to Wine-Searcher.
Known for its organic grapes and biodynamic wines, Montinore Estate is a leader in organic farming in Oregon. The winery adopted biodynamic standards in the 2000s and later adopted organic standards. With more than 200 acres of vineyards, you can sample the wines in the tasting room.
What To Eat With Organic Wines?
When you try to buy organic bottles, why not make your meal more memorable through an excellent food pairing? For a wide range of wine and food pairing suggestions, I recommend the book Big Macs & Burgundy. Once you learn the two food and wine pairing laws, matching food and wine becomes easier. For more details on why I like this book, see my full review: 10 Reasons Why “Big Macs & Burgundy” Is The Best Food Wine Pairing Book In The World.
