You don’t have to sacrifice taste to drink ‘green.’ These organic, sustainable and certified fair trade wines are wonderful wines to drink anytime and go with an array of foods.
Drinking Green has never been easier. I’ve selected 3 wonderful certified organic sustainable and certified fair trade wines that are a must. I had the pleasure of showing two of these wines last November at the Pratt Contemporary Fundraiser where I served as the presenter in the live food and wine section of the newspaper. I’ve selected these wines not only because of their “good to the earth practices”, but they are wonderful wines to drink anytime and go with an array of foods.
1) Viognier – Bonterra Vineyard’s, Mendocino California. I call this Peaches and Cream with its lovely notes of peach and apricot with a touch of Jasmine flavor and a nice subtle hit of toasted vanilla. This wine would pair wonderfully with creamy soups, any Asian or spicy ethnic dish, or a simply grilled fish with fruit salsa.
2) 2007 Zinfandel, Bonterra Vineyards, Mendocino California. This is one of my favorite red wines. It’s sassy and zesty with a touch of rustic elegance. It showcases rich aromas of red raspberry, mountain blueberries and a touch of white pepper and cedar to add some spice. It finishes with plum, blackberry and black pepper which as it ages provides a sweet and spicy mouthful. This would be the perfect accompaniment to BBQ, pasta with a zesty marinara sauce, rich fish such as salmon and tuna, or wonderfully alongside a deep dark chocolate torte with a blueberry compote.
3) 2008 One World Shiraz, South Africa. This wine supports building a better life for workers and farming families through fair prices and direct trade. This Shiraz is a deep crimson red with aromas of plum, red berries and spices, such as clove and cinnamon. On the palate rich red berries, smooth tannins with a hint of eucalyptus. This Shiraz would pair wonderful with ancho chili rubbed rib eye and roasted garlic potatoes.
To find out more about these wines and how to host your own private wine tasting, contact our wine contributor Rita Blackwell rita@wineexpresstastings.com. Wine Express | www.wineexpresstastings.com
