Sitting on the back deck enjoying the spoils of summer: sun, warmth, friends, burgers, roasted tomato dressing on mixed greens – nothing could be more organic than a spontaneous BBQ… but wait, you can add something more to this organic party: organic wine. Organic is pervasive in the market these days; it’s everywhere, from ketchup to beef, soup to nuts as they used to say in the times when things really were more organic. The word “organic” is everywhere and on everything. Wine has hopped onto the wagon and these days you see bio-dynamic and organic on many bottles. For the most part, organic tends to mean expensive. I read a report the other day that organic products tend to be 292% higher than their genetically modified, mass-produced counterparts… now I’m sure you can find a report that’s lower (or higher), but the truth is organic is harder on the pocketbook (case in point: the organic buns for this BBQ were $4.99 for a pack of four).
But back to the deck… Today, we pulled out a couple of wines from Chile to give them a try and it just so happens that they had the word “organic” on the label: “Made from Organically grown grapes,” to be more specific.
The 2012 Emiliana Adobe Reserva Sauvignon Blanc ($12.95 – #266049) was the first bottle we screwed the top off of and the surprise here was the acidity. The nose has got that typical Sauvignon Blanc scent of summer: grassy and citrus with hints of something tropical, but the palate had some teeth-rattling acidity that screams the need for food. It’s a great reminder of old-time tart lemonade (***½). This seemed to pair well with our greens.
The burgers needed something a little more potent, and so we pulled the second in the Emiliana line: the 2011 Emiliana Adobe Reserva Merlot ($12.95 – #322024 – in stores starting over the summer). Here we found the sunshine of Chile and the Chileans’ penchant for big fruit in the glass with black raspberry and black cherry, along with hints of blueberry and mild tannins… this one could have been served chilled for added fruitiness and is an easy pairing for BBQ meats (***½+).
Well. there you have it. If you’re looking to jump on the trend and impress your friends with your world consciousness without breaking the bank, Emiliana from Chile has you covered.
