Health & Fitness
Wine Organic
On the road tasting 2010 vintages of organic- and biodynamic-style wine.
ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC
Wine ORGANIC was the focus for the President's Holiday road trip on Monday.
Kind of grey outside, misty rain on the windshield, driving over the bridge, I see lots of water. This is February and we are on the dry side of rain falling for farming this month. Such a warm start I have been working in the garden myself.
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PORTER CREEK VINEYARDS is a family-run Russian River Valley terroir organic vineyard. The creek runs into the river not far from here, rolling hills and some flat land too.
I was excited to taste their 2010 CARIGNANE old vine 24$. Carignane is one of my rather new loves. It is used in blends but old vine MENDOCINO County fruit gets the credit it stands alone. This varietal in the 1800s was planted by the Italian immigrants some of the the old vines are still production. This grape is named after a place in Spain a historic story that tastes classic. Dark fruit nose and silky mouth feel on the sides of the tongue long spice finish. It fits after the Pinot Noir and before the Zinfandel on their tasting list. I have to say how much I liked the 2010 Chardonnay old vine 32$ apple nose not that citric smell. The best I had so far this year this is the other end of chardonnay profile.
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PRESTON OF DRY CREEK is a winery and a family run in the BIODYNAMIC style. But have a disclaimer here: it is not certified "Biodynamic" by the Demeter Association. This is a wine farm. I have never seen a winery set up like this one ever. I did get the feeling this was correct though. Seeing farm animals living with the vines with a non metal fence and a shelter for them too: wow.
BIODYNAMIC is derived from Dr. Rudolf Steiner's "Agricultural Course" held in 1924, organic is at the base of its essence but some say it is more about what you should do, and organic is about what you should not do. BIODYNAMIC has that feeling you're signing up for yoga or a kung fu class to me. Ninety percent is really good, 10 percent I might not buy.
I tried their reds. I liked them all but the L. Preston blend, 38$. I came home with the 2009 Carignane dry creek valley Sonoma and the 2010 GRENACHE BLANC, 36$, organic by ccof.
So get out and try the 2010s. I had a barrel tasting at ZICHICHI of his 2011 PETITE SIRAH. You might want futures on this one; blew me away.