Italian Natural Wines

Picture: Vendredi du Vin #57 - Vini Naturali d'Italia

Italian Wine

Italy is home of some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Etruscans and Greek settlers produced wine in the country long before the Romans started developing their own vineyards. Two thousand years later, Italy is world leader in wine, accounting for about 20% of world wine production. Italians also lead the world in wine consumption by volume, 59 liters per capita, compared with 8 liters per capita in the US. Wine is grown in almost every region of the country.

Picture: The Wine Regions of Italy

Vendredi du Vin #57: Italian Natural Wines

This posting is being published as part of the Vendredis du Vin, a monthly blog event in France. Participating wine bloggers - mainly in France - are all releasing postings today under the same heading. This month's Vendredi du Vin is orchestrated by Patrick Böttcher, a manager of a pharmacy in Brussels, Belgium. The subject is: Italina Natural Wine: “Petit rappel, les italiens définissent leurs vins comme naturels s'ils sont issus de sols respectueux de la nature, et s'ils sont fait en respect avec l'artisanat historique tout en intervenant un minimum afin de conserver les marques de leur fruit et de leur terroir. S'ils ont effectivement souvent très peu de soufre embarqué, il n'y apas de règle absolue, juste du bon sens.”

My contribution is a bit broader than Italian natural wines. After a short primer of different concepts of “green” winemaking, including natural I profile “Agricola Querciabella” is a leading winemaker in the Super Tuscan movement, i.e. ultra-premium wines sold as IGT wine as the wines are made outside of the DOCG regulations. Agricola Querciabella has become a leading winemaker in the cruelty-free biodynamic movement, i.e. the 100% vegan approach to biodynamic winemaking.

Patrick Böttcher’s List of Italian Natural Wine Producers

Here is Patrick Patrick Böttcher’s List of Italian Natural Wine Producers: “Bon comme on est sympa et qu'on sait que vous allez caler, voici une liste de gentils vignerons dont nous vous conseillons absolument les quilles : Luca Roagna, Belotti, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Giuseppe Mascarello, Augusto Cappellano, Bartolo Mascarello, Brovia, Trinchero, Sylvio Morando, Villa Terlina, Elisabetta Foradori, Musella, Corte Sant'Alda, Tenuta Grillo, Lo Zerbone, La Stoppa, Denavolo, Tenuta di valgiano, Podere le Boncie, Pacina, Colombaia, Fonterenza, Stella di Campalto, Montevertine, Pian dell'Orino, Paradiso di Manfredi, Fattoria di Caspri, Massa Vecchia, Podere Sanguineto, Le Coste, Emilio Pepe, Cantina Giardino, Ca del Noce, Lamoresca, COS, Occhipinti, Frank Cornelissen, Paolo Bea, et tous les inspirés de la Slovénie voisine, Gravner, Princic, Radikon, Vodopivec... et j'en oublie, forcément !!!!!”

Natural and Other Green Concepts of Winemaking

What are natural wines? Generally, the idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for nature. Natural wines are part of a group of wines that I would call “green wines”, wines made with an ecological concept in mind. There are several different concepts of “green wines”.

Organic: Organic generally means the use of natural as opposed to chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. The key is: no chemicals.

Organic wines are changing the look of vineyards, literally. Whereas vineyards of the past commanded neat rows rid of all insects, rodents and weeds, organic vineyards are now replacing costly and damaging chemical sprays with environmental partnerships. Pesticides are giving way to introducing low-growing plants between vine rows that host beneficial insects that keep the pest insects in check.

Unfortunately, there is no agreement on what organic wine making as opposed to organic wine growing means. The main issue is the use of sulfur in the fermentation process. In the US, organic winemakers are not allowed to add sulfites during winemaking; an organic wine is a wine with basically zero sulfur. In Europe, sulfites are allowed to be added during fermentation and an organic wine typically contains a modest amount of sulfur.

Biodynamic: Biodynamic is similar to organic farming in that both take place without chemicals, but biodynamic farming incorporates ideas about a vineyard as an ecosystem, and also accounting for things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles. Biodynamic is an approach following the rules and ideas of Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolph Steiner. In his 1924 lectures, he viewed the farm as an entire living ecosystem starting with the soil which is treated as a living organism and receives special applications to enhance its health.

Sustainable: Sustainability refers to a range of practices that are not only ecologically sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Sustainable farmers may farm largely organically or biodynamically but have flexibility to choose what works best for their individual property; they may also focus on energy and water conservation, use of renewable resources and other issues.

Natural: The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for nature. For example, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization. Natural wines are minimalist wines produced with as little intervention as possible.

Vegan: Vegan refers to the process of "finning" the wine. Proteins, spent yeasts and small organic matter in wines are sometimes eliminated from wines with fining agents made from animal products. Fish bladders, egg whites, milk proteins and even bull’s blood (not allowed in the US or France) are all used as fining agents. As an alternative, Bentonite, a specific type of clay, is used for clarification in vegan wines. It’s important to note that vegan or vegetarian wines may or may not be made from organic grapes.

Fair trade: Fair trade wines first came onto the market the US in 2007, following trends in coffee, tea and produce. Fair trade refers to the conditions and wages paid to employees of the winery; it guarantees employees a fair and "livable" wage for their product. Fair Trade certification of wine has been around since 2003 in Europe. The certification means that wineries met certain standards for living wages, environmental sustainability and community improvement. Oakland's TransFair USA just announced that it has begun certifying Fair Trade wines from Argentina, Chile and South Africa for the American market.

Carbon footprint: The carbon neutral label comes from a different angle: global warming. All economic activites have a carbon footprint, including wine making. Carbon neutral wineries are trying to make a contribution to the general efforts of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide. A major aspect of carbon neutrality however is outside the control of wineries. It is the transport of the wine from the winery to the consumer. For example, the carbon dioxide emission of a Bordeaux send to New York City by ship is lower than that of a California wine transported on the road.

Water footprint: A new thing is water footprint, reflecting the concern that the planet is moving into a period where water becomes more and more scarce.

For more, see:
Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

Agricola Querciabella

From the Chianti Classico DOCG region in Tuscany, Agricola Querciabella has become known among wine lovers for taking the concept of premium wines to the extreme. Agricola Querciabella is a leading winemaker in the Super Tuscan movement, i.e. ultra-premium wines sold as IGT wine as the wines are made outside of the DOCG regulations. Second, Agricola Querciabella has become a leading winemaker in the cruelty-free biodynamic movement, i.e. the 100% vegan approach to biodynamic winemaking.

Agricola Querciabella was founded in 1974 by Giuseppe Castiglioni, a wine connoisseur and fine wine collector from Milan, who had made a fortune in the construction business, including in Mexico. Giuseppe Castiglioni initially planted vines as a hobby, but soon set about authoring with his Camartina—the flagship wine of Querciabella - a Super-Tuscan success story.

Money was not an issue when Giuseppe Castiglioni bought a run down estate in the Greve region. His main concern was to make wines that could match with the fine French wines from Bordeaux and Bourgogne that he liked to drink so much. The shift to vegan biodynamic winemaking was engineered by his son, Sebastiano Castiglioni, who took over the management of the estate in the 1990s. Under Sebastiano Castiglioni leadership, the trend of perfection is still the utmost priority.

Only the best of everything is used, like stainless steel tanks with computer control, peristaltic pumps, 100% natural yeast and only the finest of the fine oak barrels. Quality is something that the Castiglionis do not compromise upon. Also, over time, they established an elite winemaking cadre, including winemaker Guido de Santi and famed consultant and Super-Tuscan specialist Giacomo Tachis.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Giorgio Fragiacomo from Agricola Querciabella at a Tasting at

Agricola Querciabella Portfolio

Agricola Querciabella produces four wines from its vineyards located in the Chianti Classico zone:

Pictures: Giorgio Fragiacomo and his Querciabella Wines

Batàr, a blend of Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay; Camartina, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese; Palafreno, a monovarietal Merlot; and Querciabella, a Chianti Classico DOCG made of 100% Sangiovese. From the vineyards in coastal Maremma, Querciabella produces Mongrana, a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Camartina—the flagship of Querciabella—was Castiglioni’s first contribution to the Super-Tuscan movement. Camartina continues to be a defining example of the Super-Tuscan genre. While Sangiovese was the predominant varietal for the greater part of Camartina’s early career, the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has increased gradually over the years, with recent vintages favoring Cabernet.

Batàr is Querciabella’s high-level Tuscan white, inspired by the white grand cru wines of the Bourgogne. Initially, Batàr was a Pinot Blanc and Pinot Grigio blend. Today, it is a 50/50 Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay blend. Its stylistic orientation altered with the 1998 vintage, when the use of new oak was reduced, bringing Batàr within much closer range of its Burgundian archetype.

The portfolio’s penultimate wine, Palafreno, is monovarietal Merlot, debuting with the 2000 vintage. Its vinification regimen entails a fairly lengthy maceration period of 18 days and aging in 100 percent French oak (60% new and 40% first passage) for approximately 18 months.

For more, see:
The Ultra-premium Querciabella Wines and a Taste of Tuscany at Open Kitchen in Virginia, with Querciabella’s Giorgio Fragiacomo

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey and Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Excellency and Ecology: The Wines of Gebrueder Dr. Becker in Rheinhessen, Germany

The Millesime Bio 2010 in Montpellier, France: A Discovery of Organic and Biodynamic Wines at the one of a Kind Wine Trade Show

At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

One of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC

Natural Wine Bars: Terroir in San Francisco, Terroirs in London and La Cremerie in Paris

The Ultra-premium Querciabella Wines and a Taste of Tuscany at Open Kitchen in Virginia, with Querciabella’s Giorgio Fragiacomo

FairChoice Certified Wine in Germany: Weingut Joachim Flick in the Rheingau

Judging at the ECOVIN Ecowinner 2012 Contest in Oppenheim, Germany

Blogging for Organic Wine – New Ways of Wine Experience: The Organic Wines of Oekoweingut Hubertushof at Prowein 2012 in Germany 

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey and Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Wine Event: President Obama and the First Lady eat at the "Green" Restaurant Nora and have a "Green" Spottswoode Wine

Benzinger Wines Served at the 2010 "Green" Annual White House Correspondents Dinner

The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

Julia Zuccardi from Familia Zuccardi in Argentina Visited the US to Introduce New Santa Julia Wines

Headwind (Gegenwind) – A Protest Wine against the Unbridled Exploitation of Culture and Nature

Natural Wine Bars: Terroir in San Francisco, Terroirs in London and La Cremerie in Paris

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Terroir in San Francisco

Last year in Pamhagen in Austria in the stone cave below the winery with Werner Michlits, where Werner showed us his magic cow poop and other ingredients for biodynamic farming, I really felt at the forefront of wine making with an ecological mindset (See: At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria). Last year, I also tasted the Santa Julia wines of Familia Zuccardi, who produce mass wines in Argentina with organic grapes. Argentina, in general, is very well suited for organic wine making (Julia Zuccardi from Familia Zuccardi in Argentina Visited the US to Introduce New Santa Julia Wines). “We practice sustainable agriculture in the vineyard” said Yann-Leon Beyer when I visited Domaine Leon Beyer in Alsace in France (Visiting Yann-Leon Beyer at Maison Leon Beyer in Eguisheim in Alsace). The Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley is passionate about the concept of natural wine making in the midst of the city of Berkeley without owning any vineyards (Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey and Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California). Researchers have found out that from a point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint, New Yorkers should drink Bordeaux instead of domestic wine from California.

There are many winemakers on the “green” route, although they account only for a small fraction of the whole industry. These “green” winemakers came in different shades. The concept of natural wine making is one of several concepts of wine making with an ecological mindset. I have provided a primer about “green” wine making: Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

This posting focuses on natural wines, in particular on 3 wine bars that serve only “natural” wines: Terroir in San Francisco, Terroirs in London and La Cremerie in Paris. See for more details:

The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

Focus on Natural Wines: The Terroirs Wine Bar in London

The Natural Wines of La Cremerie in Paris

Weinrallye #50 Naturwein - Natural Wine

This posting is being published as part of the Weinrallye, a monthly blog event in Germany. Participating wine bloggers - mainly in Germany - are all releasing postings today under the heading "natural wine". Weinrallye is the brainchild of Thomas Lippert, a winemaker and wine blogger based in Heidelberg, Germany. The first wine rally took place in 2007. Thomas Lippert is the author of the wine blog Winzerblog.

This month's wine rally is organized by winemaker Iris Rutz, who owns and runs Lisson, a small wine-producing estate in the Jaur Valley, close to Olargues, in the south of France: Two hectares of vineyards nestling in a forest of chestnut trees and ever-green oak. The vines are planted on small terraces on the hill-side behind the house. Lisson has always been a wine-producing estate - right up until the 1930's when the farm had to be abandoned. The fields and vineyard quickly became overgrown with weeds and the forest threatened to take over completely. Claude Rudel bought the farm 25 years ago and when he was later joined by Iris Rutz they decided to fulfill their dream of returning the estate and its landscape to its original agricultural tradition.

Natural Wine

The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for Mother Nature. Natural wines are hands-off wines produced with as little intervention as possible. Generally, the concept of natural wine relates more to what happens in the wine cellar rather than what happens in the vineyard. Again, nowhere is the term defined by law; it is left open to interpretation. Typically, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization. Commercial yeasts are one of the great culprits in today’s homogenization of wine, imparting their own aromas over those of the grape.

La Cremerie in Paris

La Cremerie is a fascinating little place on the Left Bank near Odeon and Bd St Germain, right in the center of the Quartier Latin, owned and managed by Serge and Helene Mathieu. They sell and pour natural wines and serve small plates of exceptional artisanal charcuterie and cheeses, but also oysters, foie gras, and smoked tuna.

La Crèmerie began its life in 1880 as a dairy, and the interiors remain unchanged today – counters made of slabs of marble, ancient wooden fridges, a fabulous pastel ceiling fresco painted on silk. In 1947, it became a cave à vins and, three years ago, Serge and Helene took over.

Pictures: Impressions from La Cremerie in Paris

It is a small place, just enough room for 12 people to sit down, plus four stools at the bar. There is no kitchen for hot dishes.

The concept of the place is to be both a wine bar and a wine store. You can walk in, choose a bottle, pay and walk away. You can also drink a glass from the (limited) wine-by-the-glass selection, or buy a bottle from the shelves, pay an extra 10 Euro corkage fee and drink it there.

When I was there, it was Serge’s turn. Born in New York, Serge lived all his life in France and is an architect by training. He discovered the “green” wines, loved them and decided to make a profession of that love. I did not meet Helene. She is also an architect. Serge and Helene have four children.

There are about 200 wines, mostly in the Euro 6 to 15 range. But I also saw wines for up to Euro 250. All French regions are represented, with the emphasis on Loire and Burgundy. All wines are artisanal wines from small growers. And all the wines are natural wines.

Several Saucissons and Jambons hang over the counter, from France and Spain. La Cremerie serves small plates of exceptional artisanal charcuterie and cheeses, but also oysters, foie gras, and smoked tuna. The red-bright ham-slicing machine on the counter is a venerable Berkel made in the year 1936. The Berkel company was at the time based in Rotterdam, Holland.

Terroir in San Francisco

Terroir in San Francisco  serves only wines that are considered by the owners as natural wines and that are from the Old World. For the Terroir San Francisco people this has a lot to do with the use of sulfur in the fermentation process. “We certainly have the largest list of wines in the US with no added sulfur, but not all our wines are sulfur free. When they are not, we allow for only very small amounts” said owner Luc Ertoran.

Terroir was inspired by wine bars like La Cremerie in Paris. Like La Cremerie, Terroir is a combined retail store and wine bar. Terroir opened in 2007 selling 70 wines. Now it has 600 to 700 available. Almost all the wines are European. Within Europe, France and Italy dominate.

Pictures: Impressions from Terroir in San Francisco

Terroir looks like a converted warehouse with exposed beams - modern and minimalistic. There is a large open space, a simple, minimal bar, bottles on rough wood shelves and a wine storage area in back. Terroir has a record player in the corner and an extensive collection of vinyl.

As for food, “we have charcuterie and cheese’’ said Luc and we ordered a very nice cheese plate.

Terroirs in London

Terroirs is a wine bar and restaurant situated in the heart of the London West End, a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square and adjacent to the Charing Cross station. It seats 45 covers with a further 12 seats at the zinc top bar (which are non bookable).

The Terroirs in London is spelled with an s at the end. In terms of the wine selection, it resembles very much the San Francisco Terroir. But while Terroirs London also focuses on natural wine, it defines natural wine in a broader sense than the Terroir San Francisco, wines that I would call “green wines”, wines made with an ecological concept in mind. There are lots of certified organic and biodynamic wines on the list.

 Pictures: Impressions from Terroirs in London

The focus is on France and Italy. I did not see any New World wines. Many of the French growers are certified organic and biodynamic. Several of the Italian growers belong to Vin Veri (Real Wines), a movement of like-minded natural winemakers. About 25 wines are under £20 and 80 in total under £30.

Charcuterie is a feature of Terroirs. The selection changes but usually offers a terrine, a rustic jambon persillé, some French saucisse, lardo di Colonnata and ham. A selection of seasonal cheeses is available. The cheeses can be ordered individually or as part of a selection. There are also quite a number of full-sized dishes - pot-roasted quail with pancetta and gremolata, for example, or salt cod with soft-boiled eggs.



schiller-wine: Related Postings

Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey and Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Excellency and Ecology: The Wines of Gebrueder Dr. Becker in Rheinhessen, Germany

The Millesime Bio 2010 in Montpellier, France: A Discovery of Organic and Biodynamic Wines at the one of a Kind Wine Trade Show

At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

One of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC

Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Werner Michlits from Weingut Meinklang in Pamhagen in Austria. Weingut Michlits is at the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking

A few weeks ago in Pamhagen in Austria in the stone cave below the winery with Werner Michlits, where Werner showed us his magic cow poop and other ingredients for biodynamic farming, I was really at the forefront of winemaking with an ecological mindset. There are many others on this route. But these “green” winemakers come in different colors. I just tasted the Santa Julia wines of Familia Zuccardi, who produce mass wines in Argentina with organic grapes. Argentina, in general, is very well suited for organic winemaking. “We practice sustainable agriculture in the vineyard” said Yann-Leon Beyer when I visited Domaine Leon Beyer in Alsace in France. The Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley produces wine according to the natural wine concept in the midst of the city of Berkeley without owning any vineyards. Researchers have found out that from a point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint, New Yorkers should drink Bordeaux instead of domestic wine from California. The following tries to shed some light on the different concepts of “green” winemaking.

Organic

Organic generally means the use of natural as opposed to chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. The key is: no chemicals. Organic wines are changing the look of vineyards, literally. Whereas vineyards of the past commanded neat rows rid of all insects, rodents and weeds, organic vineyards are now replacing costly and damaging chemical sprays with environmental partnerships. Pesticides are giving way to introducing low-growing plants between vine rows that host beneficial insects that keep the pest insects in check.

Pictures: Conventional and Organic Vineyard

Unfortunately, while there is a broad consensus what organic vine growing means, there is no agreement on what organic wine making implies. The main issue is the use of sulfur in the fermentation process and the disagreement is between the US and Europe. In the US, organic winemakers are not allowed to add sulfites during winemaking; an organic wine is a wine with no added sulfur. In Europe, sulfites are allowed to be added during fermentation and an organic wine typically contains a modest amount of sulfur.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with from Familia Zuccardi, who Produce Mass Wines in Argentina with Organic Grapes

Sulfites are generally considered a required addition to a fine wine before bottling for two reasons: to prevent oxidation and prevent bacteria from running wild. This is a time-honored process. The Romans practiced it over 2,000 years ago. So, as a rule all wines produced in the world have been stabilized by adding sulfur, with a few exceptions. One of these exceptions are organic wines made in the US, such as the wine of Frey Vineyards in Mendocino County in California. Frey Vineyards uses other, innovative methods to stabilize wine, which others would consider outside of “green” winemaking.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with one of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC. Amity Vineyard also Produces Wines Without Adding Sulfur.

Alternatively, in the US, wine made from organically grown grapes is an organic wine a la Europe: Organic in the vineyard, but probably sulfur added in the wine cellar.

Pictures: Christian G.E.Schiller with Owner/Winemaker Lotte Pfeffer-Müller, Weingut Brueder Dr. Becker in Germany. Lotte Pfeffer-Mueller is the President of "Eco-Vin".

Biodynamic

Biodynamic is similar to organic farming in that both take place without chemicals, but biodynamic farming incorporates ideas about a vineyard as an ecosystem, and also accounting for things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles. Biodynamic is an approach following the rules and ideas of Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolph Steiner. In his 1924 lectures, he viewed the farm as a closed circuit. Thus, farm animals are an integral part of biodynamic winemaking; they should consume the cover crops left between vines and their waste should be then replaced between those vines to rebuild the soil.

Sustainable

Sustainable farming means farming in a way that will allow for continued farming throughout the ages. In its broadest interpretation, sustainability refers to a range of practices that are not only ecologically sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Although nowhere defined by law, there are many certifications available for “Sustainable Wine.”

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with Yann-Leon and Marc Beyer at Maison Beyer in Eguisheim in Alsace. Maison Beyer follows the Concept of Sustainable Winemaking.

Natural

The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for Mother Nature. Natural wines are hands-off wines produced with as little intervention as possible. Generally, the concept of natural wine relates more to what happens in the wine cellar rather than what happens in the vineyard. Again, nowhere is the term defined by law; it is left open to interpretation. Typically, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization. Commercial yeasts are one of the great culprits in today’s homogenization of wine, imparting their own aromas over those of the grape.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Jared Brandt from the Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, California. Donkey and Goat Produces in the Middle of Berkeley Natural Wines, where I recently spent a couple of hours with Jared talking about what natural wines is all about.

Carbon Footprint

The carbon neutral label comes from a different angle: global warming. All economic activities have a carbon footprint, including wine making. Carbon neutral wineries are trying to make a contribution to the general efforts of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide. Belgrave Park Winery in Australia, for example, is a completely carbon neutral vineyard and winery. But the concept of cabon footprint should not stop at the gate of the winery. Researchers have found out, for example, that from a point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint, New Yorkers should drink Bordeaux instead of domestic wine from California.

Water Footprint

A new thing is water footprint, reflecting the concern that the planet is moving into a period where water becomes more and more scarce.

Vegan

Vegan refers to the process of fining the wine - eliminating undesirable items - with fining agents made from animal products, such as fish bladders and egg whites. As an alternative, Bentonite, a specific type of clay, is used for clarification in vegan wines.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

The Natural Wines of the Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, California

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey & Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Excellency and Ecology: The Wines of Gebrueder Dr. Becker in Rheinhessen, Germany

Wine Event: President Obama and the First Lady eat at the "Green" Restaurant Nora and have a "Green" Spottswoode Wine

The Millesime Bio 2010 in Montpellier, France: A Discovery of Organic and Biodynamic Wines at the one of a Kind Wine Trade Show

Benzinger Wines Served at the 2010 "Green" Annual White House Correspondents Dinner

The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

Skype and Biodynamic Winemaking - Winetasting in the US with Winemaker Werner Michlits, Weingut Meinklang, in Austria

At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

Julia Zuccardi from Familia Zuccardi in Argentina Visited the US to Introduce New Santa Julia Wines

One of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC

Visiting Yann-Leon Beyer at Maison Leon Beyer in Eguisheim in Alsace

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey & Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jared Brandt in Berkeley

The Donkey & Goat Winery is a wife & husband owned and operated winery located in Berkeley, California, producing “natural” wines. Tracey and Jared Brandt are the "donkey and goat" behind these naturally made wines. I had met Tracy Brandt in 2010 at the screwtop wine bar in Arlington, Virginia and written about it on schiller-wine.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Tracey Brandt in Washington DC

This time, when I was over at the US West Coast in Berkeley, I met Jared at the construction site of their new winery. What I saw was basically empty halls and Jared then described to me how it would look like once everything was in place. But regardless of the state of the construction, I found it fascinating to listen to Jared about his approach to winemaking and to taste his fine, natural wines.

Whenever I am in the Bay area, I go at least once to the Terroir Wine Bar in San Francisco; they serve only natural wines, but only from the Old World.

A Donkey & Goat Winery

A Donkey & Goat Winery is a boutique winery, producing just 2500 cases. Tracey and Jared just make the wine, they do not own vineyards. The wine they make is very special: Tracey and Jared are followers of the natural wine movement. It is a rather new winery, established in 2004.

The Vineyards are Far Away

The vineyards were the grapes grow which Donkey and Goat Winery uses for its wines, are far away: in the Sierra Foothills, in Monterey and in Mendocino County. The Donkey and Goat Winery appellations are: Anderson Valley, Mendocino Ridge, McDowell Valley, El Dorado, Chalone.

On these vineyards, the following grape varieties are cultivated: Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Counoise, Carignan, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir.

The Donkey & Goat Winemaking Philosophy

We talked a lot about the Donkey & Goat wine producing philosophy of natural wine making.

Jared told me that on their web site you can find an email by Tracey about their wines and thoughts on natural, organic and biodynamic. “It's a pretty good manifesto” said Jared. I agree. I think it is a very interesting read if you want to understand what natural winemaking is all about.

Tracey writes... "We make our wines for the table not the cocktail glass. We make Rhône varietals in both colors plus an unusual Chardonnay. We (my husband and winemaking partner Jared and I) strive to make wine as naturally as possible. We've done so since day one. Of late, natural is fashionable, which we do of course appreciate, but the reality is we've done this from the start because we feel it makes a superior wine while aligning with our environmental objectives.

Pictures: The New Winery in Berkeley

We pick early, often weeks before anyone else considers it. Our whites are frequently at and under 13 and some of our reds are at/near 13.5 (both directions). Many of our vineyards are cool climate - we grow Syrah in Anderson Valley in order to get profile we want at a low alcohol. That said, we also don't adjust alcohol to meet our goals. We have seen our wines end up higher in alcohol than other wineries in the same vineyard (who picked later) because we let the native yeast do their thing and don't add water or use reverse osmosis. So, yes we would love to make under 12.5 wines but to make wines naturally at that alc in California is impossible. We believe alcohol is a byproduct of our winemaking decisions and we try to live with the repercussions of our decisions rather than cover them up after the fact.

We have vineyards that are organic and even have a new one that was effectively abandoned - closer to the ideas of Masanobu Fukuoka. Biodynamic is very interesting to us but we are hesitant to adopt a management system that is dependent on copper sulfate due to health concerns. We are not alone in these. Alice Feiring blogged about Eric Texier's thoughts around this last Feb here: http://www.alicefeiring.com/feiringsquad/misc/fukuoka_of_char.html We have also strived to find vineyard managers who share our overall concern with the environment and desire for growing natural wine grapes. We struggle with doctrine that ignores excess and risks simply because it was determined to be okay for THAT doctrine. The religious analogies are so plentiful that I won't bother but I'm sure you get the idea. When it comes to dogma, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

In the winery, we are extremely careful with our winemaking to ensure we encourage but not manipulate the wines expression of origin (terroir and varietal). We also make decisions to ensure our wines belong on the table with food and not in cocktail glass in advance of anything edible. That means we pick based on flavor and acid. We ignore brix. We picked Syrah this year at 21.5 brix and it is gorgeous. We also picked Syrah at 23 brix and it is equally gorgeous. In both cases we were examining acid structure and flavors.

Pictures: In the New Winery in Berkeley

We ferment all wines (red and white) in wood vats. This is so key and no one is talking about the vast amounts of small lot wine made in plastic in this country. We abandoned plastic in our personal lives when we had our daughter and discovered the extensive research around chemicals like BPA leaching into liquids. We NEVER considered a square plastic bin for fermentation because it's plastic and it's entirely the wrong dimension for vinification and IT IS plastic. But look in most US wineriers and you will find a square plastic vat with fermenting must.

We add nothing at the vat after crush save the occasional miniscule dose of SO2 if we have a rainy year where rot is an issue. That means no enzymes to enhance color and extraction, no tannin, no commercial yeast, no nutrients to feed the super yeast and 95% of the time no SO2 (until after MLF completes). We can control temperature via manipulating ambient temperature with a refrigerated container and warm rooms within the winery. That's it. For the labor it's all manual. Picking. Sorting. Foot stomping. Punch down. Our hands are in the wine each day and we taste each day and the only time we've ever had a problem was in 2004 when we inoculated a few vats as an experiment to prove our wild yeast preference. The inoculated vats had stuck fermentations and we later dumped the wine rather than fall down the slippery slope of additions to correct additions (we dumped the equivalent of 50 cases). That is one of the problems we have with inoculations. Winemakers choose cultured yeast for various attributes that include performance and aromatic profile. But the lab yeast need huge amounts of food. So the regimen becomes, kill the microbial life with SO2 & Lysozyme, add super yeast, add vitamins and nitrogen (DAP or diammonium phosphate being very popular) to feed these hungry microbes. Then hope the yeast don't put off any off aromas like H2S because of the imbalance in their diet. If they do, add Copper. Then rack and filter and add more SO2... it never stops. And don't get me started on the great irony of adding vast amounts of DAP to the vat to feed yeast. Guess which yeast also LOVES DAP and for that matter any additive rich in thiamin. Read the ingredients on most wine additives and you'll see thiamin at the front. That would be brettanomyces, the dark angel.

Pictures: In the New Winery in Berkeley

Back to us, we complete primary with just wild yeast sometime near the end of the year although in warmer years like this one I expect to be done going into December. MLF is also natural or with wild bacteria. This is easy for us because we do not buy ANY new oak barrels. We buy a supply of 1 year old barrels each year from a single source (relevant for cleanliness) and rotate them in. Our lots see from zero to 35% one year old barrels. As a result we have plenty of Lactobacillus in our used barrels so again, no inoculation, no nutrients and no problems. We have one wine (our Brosseau Vineyard Chardonnay) that does not complete and rarely starts MLF. We do not kill the wine with SO2 and we do not filter. The pH on the wine is in the 3.1-3.2 range which is a natural prohibitor of MLF and we've never had a problems with bottle ferm and been making this wine since 2003. We do make it in an unusual manner. Again back to France. Eric taught us a trick he uses in warmer years. Pick the vineyard twice and blend to lift acidity. It's that simple. The first pick happens to be hugely unusual at veraison but still, pretty simple. You can get a better idea of this here: http://www.inwinecountry.com/?cat=5970254&subcat=5038749&video=218. Oh, and that is an organic vineyard.

The rest I'll just list and save you the rationale given my dense email. We stay sur lie until the wines tell us not too (no prophylactic racking or micro oxygenation). We do not clarify or heat/cold stabilize and we almost never fine or filter. On the occasions we have we've labeled accordingly.

I do hope if nothing else I've managed to convey we are hugely passionate about what we are doing and why we are doing it."

In Short: What Tracey and Jared Brandt Believe in and Practice at their Winery

Here is a useful summary of all the above.

(1) No cultured yeast or bacteria – all fermentations are wild.

(2) No plastic – all fermentation vats are wood which we prefer for its organic material, insulation and permeability and dimensions.



(3) No nutrients, enzymes or other enhancers at the fermentation vat.

(4) No machines for crushing – we like whole cluster on many of our Syrahs and use the old school pigeage à pied (foot stomping) for crushing to our likeness

(5) Little (to no) sulphur at fermentation, no prophylactic use of sulphur in general and our levels at bottling are extremely low

(6) No new oak – we use 12mnth used barrels sparingly, the rest are neutral (but we do like oak as opposed to stainless for whites and rosé wines)

(7) No prophylactic racking schedules. We stay sur lie as a matter of practice and only deviate when the wine needs a racking.

(8) No stabilization, fining or filtration for bottling

(9) No cocktails disguised as wine – our wines speak of their origin, both place and grape, and belong on the table, not in a cocktail glass.

The Wines Jared Poured

2010 Improbable Chardonnay, El Dorado

2010 Grenache Blanc, El Dorado

2009 Brosseau Vineyard Chardonnay, Chalone

Appellation: Chalone; Vineyard: Brosseau; Varietal: Chardonnay; Clone: Old vine, ungrafted Wente; Age: 32 years; Elevation: 1600 feet; Soil: Limestone; Yield: 1-1.5 tons/acre; Harvested: Aug 23, 2008; Pressed: Aug 23, 2008; Blend: 100% Chardonnay; Fermentation: 75/25 Neutral & 1 yr FO barrels; Barrel aging: 0.5 mos. in 1-3 yr FO barrels; Bottled: Unfiltered on Jan 11, 2010; Production: 151 cases; Release date: Spring 2010

Jared: “With our Brosseau Vineyard Chardonnay we often want for more zippy acidity but the exceptional minerality from those limestone soils keep us firmly rooted in the Chalone Appellation. To compensate, we use an ancient winemaking technique we discovered in the Mâconnais that is also practiced with German Rieslings. At or near veraison we pick some very green Brosseau Vineyard berries from our block. We de-stem, crush, press, filter and then refrigerate until we harvest the bulk of the block in September. At harvest, we blend in a little of the ver jus which naturally increases acidity, lowers alcohol and results in a more complex and vibrant Chardonnay. For the main harvest we whole cluster pressed to barrel where the wine fermented without the aid of nutrients or enhancers, employing the wild yeast from the vineyard. Likewise, malolactic fermentation is natural but does not finish due to the low pH (we do not block with sulfur).”

Picture: The Wines Jared Poured

The cooperage was a mix near neutral French oak and a 1 year old barrel. The wine was bottled without clarification, stabilization or filtration.

Jared: “Be warned: this natural wine wins no awards for clarity but will please and even delight when put on the table next to an array of cuisine (oysters, anything with butter, sushi, Chinese, Thai with lighter spices and the list goes on). Aromas of lemon zest, grass, wet stone and a hint of petrol dance from the glass. The bracing acidity will wake the palate and then please with more citrus, pear and leave you wanting for more.”

2009 Four Thirteen, Red Wine Blend, El Dorado

Varietal: Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache & Counoise; Vineyards: Fenaughty, Lightner & Girard; Appellation: El Dorado; Harvested: Sept 19-Oct 23, 2010; Pressed: Oct 1-Nov 3, 2007 ; Blend: 46% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, & 3% Counoise; Bottled: Unfiltered on Jan 11, 2010; Production: 340 cases; Release date: Spring 2010.

Jared: “The thirteen series is our proprietary southern Rhône style blend using up to thirteen of the varietals traditional to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and here we have blended four: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise. We are big fans of co-fermentations when Mother Nature provides the opportunity so the blend includes 3 (of 14) barrels where several varietals started their union at crush. Like all of our red wines, we only use the machine for whatever level of de-stemming is desired (the syrah components include varying levels of whole cluster and whole berry). Any crushing is achieved via pigeage à pied (foot stomping). We do not make wine in plastic. All of our reds are fermented in open top wood vats where wild yeasts are employed without nutrients or other enhancers. We punch down by hand up to 3x daily. The macerations ranged from 17 days for the Grenache to 24 days for the Syrahs (Mourvédre in the middle at 23 days). The Grenache and Mourvèdre was aged exclusively in older French Oak barrels. The Syrah components ranged from 1-3 year old French Oak barrels. The Counoise was co-fermented with Grenache and Mourvèdre and aged in a neutral 500L Hungarian puncheon. All malolactic fermentations were natural and completed by early summer. The final blend was assembled in mid October and the wine was bottled without fining or filtration on January 11, 2010.”

Jared’s tasting notes: “Gamey notes dance with crushed free berries, herbs, cola, leather and floral hints. The palate shows off the wine’s stuffing with chewy tannins, respectable acidity and lingering flavors of cranberry and cassis.”

2008 Syrah Fenaughty Vineyard

Appellation: El Dorado; Vineyard: Fenaughty Vineyard; Varietal: Syrah; Clone: Heritage (Davis 1); Age: 31 years; Elevation: 2800 feet; Soil: Decomposed granite with clay loam; Yield: 2-2.5 tons/acre; Harvested: Sept 29, 2007; Pressed: Oct 20, 2007; Blend: 96.5% Syrah (25% wc)+ 3.5% Viognier; Maceration: 21 days in open top wood vat ; Barrel aging: 20.5 mos. in 1-3 yr FO barrels; Bottled: Unfiltered on July 14, 2009; Production: 147 case; Release date: Fall 2009

Jared: “2007 is our 3rd year making Fenaughty Syrah and we stand by our 100% Fenaughty blend (no Wylie added). It was the first year we made this wine in our Rousseau 4t wooden open top vat. We do not make wine in plastic. Never have and never will. All of our reds are fermented in open top wood vats. The wines like Fenaughty, that go into the 4t vat, benefit from less temperature extremes and longer mid-range temps (in the high 70’s to low 80’s). Like all of our red wines, we only use the machine for whatever level of de-stemming is desired. In this case only we de-stemmed 75% leaving the rest whole cluster. The Fenaughty vineyard also has Viognier planted so we picked a few hundred pounds with the Syrah to result in approximately 3.5% co-fermented Viognier in our final blend. Crushing is achieved via pigeage à pied (foot stomping) and in our Rousseau vat, our stompers must channel their inner Lucy to get the job done. Wild yeasts are employed without nutrients or other enhancers. We punch down by hand up to 3 times daily which is an extreme work out in a 4 ton tank with 25% whole cluster! The cooperage was a mix of 1-3 yr old French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation was natural and completed by early summer. The wine stayed sur lie for 8 months when it was racked and returned to barrel for the final 12.5 months of aging until the final blend was assembled in early June 2009. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration on July 14, 2009.”

Jared’s tasting notes: “Tobacco, earth and herbs intermingled with violets grab your olfactory immediately. With a moment to breathe, mineral, fresh meat and spice box come to the fore. Red fruits like cherry, plum and raspberry tickle the palate. Long, firmly structured yet smooth tannins coat the mouth and linger for minutes while you ponder what this wine is and what it will become.”

2010 Grenache Noir, El Dorado

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Terroir(s) Wine Bars in London, New York and San Francisco – Wines with a Sense of Place versus Natural Wines

Pictures: London, San Francisco, New York City

I have been in the past 2 years in 3 wine bars that have (almost) the same name: Terroir in New York and San Francisco, and Terroirs in London.

Terroir in San Francisco: Natural Wines from the Old World and Bar Food

Let’s start with Terroir in San Francisco. It serves only wines that are considered by the owners as natural wines and that are from the Old World. Generally, the idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for nature. For the Terroir San Francisco people this has a lot to do with the use of sulfur in the fermentation process. “We certainly have the largest list of wines in the US with no added sulfur, but not all our wines are sulfur free. When they are not, we allow for only very small amounts” said owner Luc Ertoran.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Terroir Wine Bar in San Francisco

Terroir was inspired by wine bars like La Cremerie in Paris, where the natural wine movement started. Like La Cremerie, Terroir is a combined retail store and wine bar. Terroir opened in 2007 selling 70 wines. Now it has 600 to 700 available. Almost all the wines are European. Within Europe, France and Italy dominate.

Terroir looks like a converted warehouse with exposed beams - modern and minimalistic. There is a large open space, a simple, minimal bar, bottles on rough wood shelves and a wine storage area in back. Terroir has a record player in the corner and an extensive collection of vinyl.

As for food, “we have charcuterie and cheese’’ said Luc and we ordered a very nice cheese plate.

Terroir, 1116 Folsom St. (at 7th St.), San Francisco. 415-558-9946. Terroirsf.com.

Terroir in New York City: Wines with a Sense of Place and Bar Food

In fact, there are now 2 Terroir wine bars in New York City, both owned by New York wine guru Paul Grieco (in the East Village, which was the first one, and in Tribeca). They are an outgrowth of the restaurant Hearth, just down the street of Terroir East Village, where Grieco previously engineered a milepost-setting wine list.

The 2 Terroir wine bars in New York have nothing to do with the natural wine movement. The guiding principle for the selection of wines is the terroir principle: Terroir is a French word often referred to as a “sense of place” in a wine. “One thing we demand of our grapes is that they express clearly and profoundly a sense of place,” writes Grieco.

Pictures: Terroir (East Village) in New York

The list is very heavy in European wines, as they are generally of the more terroir driven style. There are very few New World wines. There is also an unusually large selection of Rieslings, including many German Rieslings and a full page about Hermann Wiemer wines from the Finger Lakes alone. But again, all wines are conventionally made wines, sometimes with a heavy dose of sulfur, as for example in the case of the noble sweet wines from Germany.

The 2 Terroir wine bars in New York City are wine bars with a sense of humor. The staff wears red Che Guevara t-shirts, only Che’s image has been swapped out for Bartolo Mascarello, a producer of Barolo wines. The wine menus are graffitied, 3-ring binders printed on lined loose leaf. The three-ring binders are plastered with wine-centric graffiti, crudely drawn cartoon figures, and Hello Kitty stickers. Inside, each page has a different theme, and a different font to reflect it, like scary Gothic lettering for German wines. A lot of love and personality went into their creation. The loose leaf notebook/menu with scribblings make for fun reading while enjoying your glass.

We had cheese, which was excellent. If you're in the mood for dessert, try the panna cotta with cherries!

Terroir - Tribeca: 24 Harrison Street
Terroir - East Village: 413 E. 12th St.

Terroirs in London: Natural Wines, Bar Food and Full Meals

Terroirs is a wine bar and restaurant situated in the heart of the London West End, a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square and adjacent to the Charing Cross station. It seats 45 covers with a further 12 seats at the zinc top bar (which are non bookable).

The Terroirs in London is spelled with an s at the end. In terms of the wine selection, it resembles very much the San Francisco Terroir. But while Terroirs London also focuses on natural wine, it defines natural wine in a broader sense than the Terroir San Francisco, wines that I would call “green wines”, wines made with an ecological concept in mind. There are lots of certified organic and biodynamic wines on the list.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Terroirs Wine Bar in London

The focus is on France and Italy. I did not see any New World wines. Many of the French growers are certified organic and biodynamic. Several of the Italian growers belong to Vin Veri (Real Wines), a movement of like-minded natural winemakers. About 25 wines are under £20 and 80 in total under £30.

Charcuterie is a feature of Terroirs. The selection changes but usually offers a terrine, a rustic jambon persillé, some French saucisse, lardo di Colonnata and ham. A selection of seasonal cheeses is available. The cheeses can be ordered individually or as part of a selection. There are also quite a number of full-sized dishes - pot-roasted quail with pancetta and gremolata, for example, or salt cod with soft-boiled eggs.

Terroirs, 5 William IV Street

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The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

Pictures: Christian G.E.Schiller at Terroir in San Francisco

The Terroir Wine Bar in San Francisco – like the Terroirs Wine Bar in London (but written with an “s”) and La Cremerie in Paris , which I both visited – serves only wines that are considered by the owners as natural wines. Terroir was inspired by wine bars like La Cremerie in Paris, where the natural wine movement started. Like La Cremerie, Terroir is a combined retail store and wine bar.

Terroir is currently owned and managed by founders Dagan Ministero and Luc Ertoran. When I visited Terroir, Luc Ertoran was there and I had a chance to talk to him.

The Natural Wines

All the wines that are served at Terroir belong to the group of natural wines. Natural wines are part of a larger group of wines that I would call “green” wines - wines made with an ecological concept in mind. There are several different concepts of “green” wines. I have provided a primer of “green” wines at the end of this posting.

Generally, the idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for nature. “We certainly have the largest list of wines in the US with no added sulfur, but not all our wines are sulfur free. When they are not, we allow for only very small amounts” said Luc. Sulfur dioxide is a natural byproduct of the fermentation process, meaning no wine is entirely sulfite free. And to prevent spoilage, winemakers for the past few hundred years have added small amounts of sulfur dioxide to their wines. Luc seems to put a lot focus the issue of sulfur, which I find a bit misguided. Most winemakers add additional sulfur as a preservative, to protect the wine from oxidizing or possibly re-fermenting in the bottle, and to kill off bacteria. If you do not do this, you have to revert to other means (that I would not call “natural”). As far as I can see all the French wines Terroir has in its portfolio have benefitted from adding sulfur.

Picture: The Wines by the Glass at Terroir

During vinification all kind of things can be added to and made with the wine: acids, tannins, sugar, water can be added; wood chips or wood powder can be used to add oak; wines are filtered and “fined” (adding substances that collect particulate matter) to make them less cloudy; there’s a process called “micro-oxygenation” that can soften harsh tannins, and another called “reverse osmosis” that can filter out unwanted flavors in a wine and bring down alcohol levels; natural-wine enthusiasts tout the virtues of using only the yeast already growing in the grower’s grapes or in the winery—on the walls, in the barrels themselves, wherever—to aid fermentation instead of laboratory-manufactured yeast to create a specific flavor profile. And then of course there’s sulfur. But sulfur is just one of many issues in making wine.

Ironically, the Americans are much stricter in terms of sulfur free wines, when it comes to organic wines. In the US, organic winemakers are not allowed to add sulfites during winemaking; an organic wine is a wine with basically zero sulfur. In Europe, sulfites are allowed to be added during fermentation and an organic wine typically contains a modest amount of sulfur.

You cannot find any American wine or other new world wine on the list of Terroir. I found that a bit disappointing, not to be offered natural wines so close to slow food queen Alice Waters and others over in Berkeley and in the heart of the American wine country. There is definitely a natural wine movement in the US. And the Terroir owners are definitely overselling the natural wines that are produced in France and other European countries. There is lots of natural wine made in America. I also found a bit disturbing the complete neglect of Terroir of the carbon footprint of their wines. Why ship natural wines all over from Europe, when they are available locally? I prefer the idea of buying natural and local - to minimize the carbon footprint.

Terroir opened about in 2007 selling 70 wines. Now it has 600 to 700 available. Almost all the wines are European. Within Europe, France and Italy dominates.

The Owners/Managers

Terroir is the brainchild of two Frenchmen, Guilhaume Gerard and Luc Ertoran, and their American partner, Dagan Minestro; Guilhaume Gerard is no longer part of the team. Terroir is now being owned and managed by Dagan Minestro and Luc Ertoran. Luc told me that he moved from France to San Francisco in 2001. Initially, he worked as a waiter.

Picture: Terroir Owner/Manager Luc Ertoran

The Place

Terroir looks like a converted warehouse with exposed beams - modern and minimalistic. There is a large open space, a simple, minimal bar, bottles on rough wood shelves and a wine storage area in back. Terroir has a record player in the corner and an extensive collection of vinyl.

Pictures: Terroir in San Francisco

Behind the bar, which also serves as the retail center, there is a chalkboard list of wines by the glass. Stairs on the right ascend to a loft with a couch, tables, and a few cushy chairs.

The Food

As for food, “we have charcuterie and cheese’’ said Luc and we ordered a very nice cheese plate.

Picture: Cheese at Terroir

Natural and Other Green Concepts of Winemaking

What are natural wines? Natural wines are part of a group of wines that I would call “green wines”, wines made with an ecological concept in mind. There are several different concepts of “green wines”.

Organic: Organic generally means the use of natural as opposed to chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. The key is: no chemicals.

Organic wines are changing the look of vineyards, literally. Whereas vineyards of the past commanded neat rows rid of all insects, rodents and weeds, organic vineyards are now replacing costly and damaging chemical sprays with environmental partnerships. Pesticides are giving way to introducing low-growing plants between vine rows that host beneficial insects that keep the pest insects in check.

Unfortunately, there is no agreement on what organic wine making as opposed to organic wine growing means. The main issue is the use of sulfur in the fermentation process. In the US, organic winemakers are not allowed to add sulfites during winemaking; an organic wine is a wine with basically zero sulfur. In Europe, sulfites are allowed to be added during fermentation and an organic wine typically contains a modest amount of sulfur.

Biodynamic: Biodynamic is similar to organic farming in that both take place without chemicals, but biodynamic farming incorporates ideas about a vineyard as an ecosystem, and also accounting for things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles. Biodynamic is an approach following the rules and ideas of Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolph Steiner. In his 1924 lectures, he viewed the farm as an entire living ecosystem starting with the soil which is treated as a living organism and receives special applications to enhance its health.

Sustainable: Sustainability refers to a range of practices that are not only ecologically sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Sustainable farmers may farm largely organically or biodynamically but have flexibility to choose what works best for their individual property; they may also focus on energy and water conservation, use of renewable resources and other issues.

Natural: The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for nature. For example, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization. Natural wines are minimalist wines produced with as little intervention as possible.

Vegan: Vegan refers to the process of "finning" the wine. Proteins, spent yeasts and small organic matter in wines are sometimes eliminated from wines with fining agents made from animal products. Fish bladders, egg whites, milk proteins and even bull’s blood (not allowed in the US or France) are all used as fining agents. As an alternative, Bentonite, a specific type of clay, is used for clarification in vegan wines. It’s important to note that vegan or vegetarian wines may or may not be made from organic grapes.

Fair trade: Fair trade wines first came onto the market the US in 2007, following trends in coffee, tea and produce. Fair trade refers to the conditions and wages paid to employees of the winery; it guarantees employees a fair and "livable" wage for their product. Fair Trade certification of wine has been around since 2003 in Europe. The certification means that wineries met certain standards for living wages, environmental sustainability and community improvement. Oakland's TransFair USA just announced that it has begun certifying Fair Trade wines from Argentina, Chile and South Africa for the American market.

Carbon footprint: The carbon neutral label comes from a different angle: global warming. All economic activites have a carbon footprint, including wine making. Carbon neutral wineries are trying to make a contribution to the general efforts of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide.

A major aspect of carbon neutrality however is outside the control of wineries. It is the transport of the wine from the winery to the consumer. For example, the carbon dioxide emission of a Bordeaux send to New York City by ship is lower than that of a California wine transported on the road.

Water footprint: A new thing is water footprint, reflecting the concern that the planet is moving into a period where water becomes more and more scarce.

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