Bonterra and Sustainable Organic Farming

We are surrounded by catchwords, slogans and phrases of all sorts and types. They shout at us from billboards, radio, television, mailings and if we are not mistaken there are even some ads on stained glass windows. The wine industry is no different and the current “in words” are “sustainable organic farming.”

Sustainable organic farming (SOF) is the utilization of what Mother Nature provides to assist in grape growing without the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer and any other man made soil or vine augmentation by growing plant ground cover that would deter insects that normally prey on vines or grapes. Vineyardists return the spent refuse from winemaking to the soil as natural fertilizers, rely heavily on composted material and do everything in their power to grow their grapes naturally. Why, you might ask? According to the sustainable organic farmers, it results in much healthier grapes and as a corollary, considerably better wine. The process is somewhat labor intensive but the additional costs incurred by the constant monitoring of the vines are absorbed by eliminating the costly man made adjuncts.

Among the prime movers in sustainable organic farming is Bonterra Vineyards who have been utilizing the techniques since 1987. The wines that they produce have always been of first class quality, but the proof of the quality is in the tasting and is there any discernible difference in the wine that the average wine enthusiast can detect? Unfortunately, that has to be left up to the palate of the individual drinker.

We have recently tasted some of their wines and found them to be of excellent quality, but what we have not done is to sample them against similar wine varieties from non SOF producers, which might be a difficult if not impossible task because no two winemakers are alike so we must leave it up to you if there is a difference or not.

Bonterra 2010 Viognier ($13.99). We will start by saying that Viognier (vee oh nyay) is one of our favorite white wine varieties and this wine enhances our perspective. It is a golden colored wine with an intensely floral aroma dominated by apricots and pears. The flavor of this medium bodied wine is a never-ending display of flowers and fruit, that carry over to the finish which is equally as fruity. This is an exceptional wine and if you are looking for a change from the ordinary, we can recommend this wine to you without exception.

Bonterra 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.99). If there is going to be a wine fight it will usually be about a Cabernet Sauvignon. Anyone who really knows about wine will tell you that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and to these beholders the Bonterra 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely worthy of praise. Here is a case where SOF really seems to have paid off and resulted in a deeply colored, deeply flavored wine that displays a cherry, raspberry and the traditional currant aroma with a hint of vanilla and deep cherry/berry flavor with tobacco and oak in the background. As is with everything about this wine, the finish is powerful, loaded with fruit, and very long. Any doubts about SOF will be answered by this wine.

Bonterra 2010 Pinot Noir ($15.99) The Bonterra 2010 Pinot Noir is another one of those wines that is sure to start a row when wine lovers get together. Again, it is up to the beholder if SOF makes a difference or not. The Bonterra 2010 Pinot Noir is a really nice wine, so the comparison may be difficult. This is a wine with a medium body and a bright, clear ruby color. The aroma is a mélange of strawberries, red raspberries and black cherries mingled with oak. In the flavor department, black cherry abounds, with hints of vanilla, soft oak and chocolate in the background. Take our word for it; this is one of the better Pinot Noir wines of the 2010 vintage, SFO or not.