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World Going organic for 2022

Mairead Robinson suggests some last minute gift ideas and several fabulous organic wines for the new year.

This year more than ever it has been difficult to organize Christmas gifts since most of us have restricted our shopping outings. Online purchases are the way most are going, and the easiest way to do this is to arrange for the gifts to be sent directly to the recipient. I can think of nothing more pleasant than to open the door to an unexpected parcel from a friend, and of course wine is always a most welcome gift.

Even better than wine on its own, a hamper full of goodies to go with the wine is my gift of choice these days, and I highly recommend An Amalfi Luxury Hamper complete with a bottle of Alturis Pinot Nero, olives, tapenade, salami, bruschetta, chocolate truffles and more. All sourced in Italy and not available here. What a great gift to send to somebody special. More on www.wineswithstories.com. And if you want to send wine, but something a bit different which certainly won’t break the bank, you could send a tasting box of Mead from Kinsale Mead Company. Mead is the world’s oldest alcoholic drink and is fermented with honey and comes in a variety of flavours. Check out more on www.kinsalemeadcompany.ie we visit the supermarket there is usually a special section devoted to organic produce. However, this is not the case when it comes to the wine department, both in the off-licences and the supermarkets. And when it comes to labelling, unless you are familiar with the certification – which is often a small symbol and not in English – it can involve a bit of a search for the novice to find organic wine. But for both our health, and that of the planet, I suggest we all make a real effort to drink organic in 2022.

every bottle you pick up. And if you choose to purchase from an organic wine importer, whose whole range of wines are 100% organic, you really can’t go wrong. Irish Organic Wine Importers are one such company, and if you listen to my recent podcast with Seamus Goulding who together with his brother Fergus carry a fabulous range of organic wines, you can find out why organic matters. They source organic wines from throughout Europe, and the quality is very high while the prices are very reasonable. My favourites come from Spain and Italy. Costalarbol from Rioja produce both a red and white wine that are excellent. From Italy their Terre di Kama Pinot Grigio blend is a Sicilian gem, while the Vegan Friendly Corte Ibla has an incredible colour and taste due to the ancient method of partially drying the grapes under the hot sun. You can check out their website – www.iowi.ie – for details of the many great organic wines they have on offer.

With the increased interest in organics, you will find that many importers now carry some organic and biodynamic wines in their range. I recently came across two Spanish wines from Gary Barlow – yes, another celebrity endorsed wine – and both are organic. They are both very accessible wines with the white being a blend of two of my favourite white grapes – Verdejo and Viura – indigenous Spanish grapes that overflow with aromas of green apple and lime blossom, with notes of mouth-watering lemon zest, crisp pear and cantaloupe. This wine just tastes of the Spanish sunshine and is gorgeous with fish, seafood, salads, light lunches and as an aperitif. The red is a very smooth wine with autumnal flavours of damson and rosemary, with a hint of fresh cranberries. It is also a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Syrah, is unoaked and both wines come in screwcap.

If you tuned into a recent wine podcast I did with sommelier Tomasz from The Corkscrew in Dublin, you may remember one of the wines we tasted was a delicious white organic Rioja from Vega Vella. Now white Rioja is a real gem, as I have mentioned previously, most people always thinking of red wine when mentioning Rioja, but this wine, and the ones mentioned above from IOWI are proof that organic white Rioja is an excellent choice when looking for something special that will not break the bank. The Corkscrew also have an exceptional organic red wine from Aessir Shiraz which is made with 100% Syrah grapes. It has a bright red colour and quite high intensity.

So the next time you pick up a bottle of wine in the supermarket or off-licence, check the bottle for an organic or Ecologico symbol and you will know you are choosing well for yourself and the planet. It should also be listed on the wine list in your restaurant, and if you are not sure, just ask your server. Of course not all organic wines are better than all non-organic ones, but the choice is between an amount of chemicals balancing your wine, or leaving the job to nature. With so many very conscientious organic wine producers at work today, my money is on Organic.

Costalarbol Blanco This elegant white unites the uniqueness and delicacy of the native White Maturana with a point of finesse that provides the Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has predominant ripe fruit aromas, pineapple, banana and apple. Country: Spain Cost €12.50 Incl VAT Costalarbol Rioja Semi Crianza Aged for six months on oak, this deep purple wine is very aromatic with hints of wild blueberries. This wine is very bright on the palate with a deep long finish and a superb structure Country: Spain Cost €13.50 Incl VAT Corte Ibla 1697 Appassimento Appassimento uses a method of making wine from grapes dried in the sun is a way of adding intensity to the fresh fruit flavours. With plum notes and cherry character, it is a perfect, full-flavoured wine complete with a very smooth finish. Country: Italy Cost €13.50 Incl VAT Terre Di Kama Pinot Grigio Catarratto This richly flavoured wine has a pale lemon-yellow hue having benefited from ripening in the Sicilian sunshine. It is fresh, fruity and floral, well rounded and smooth to the palate Country: Italy Cost €12.50 Incl VAT