Honor The Earth With These 3 Wines

Photo: Bilyana Slaveykov via Unsplash

On this Earth Day, we are reveling in the good work being done by three organic vineyards we love. Over ninety percent of the wines we carry and champion here at Sip Better subscribe to natural farming principles. But we thought these three producers in particular would get you excited about honoring the earth by drinking wine! Didn't think that was possible, did ya? Perhaps these producers will inspire you, too.

Enjoy!

Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | Sangiovese | Montepulciano, Tuscany, ITALY

For many years, Avignonesi was a very well known wine brand in Tuscany. But when Belgian heiress Virginie Saverys acquired the winery in 2009, she wanted to revive the land and make it sing. Before, Avignonesi had been a pretty conventional farm, pumping out thick and heavy wines that didn't pay much homage to the natural character of the land. Virginie hired a biodynamics consultant, Adriano Zago, to help change the entire operation.

Together, Virginie, Adriano, and the team at...

What Makes A Wine Natural?

Photo: Trevor Gerzen

There are all sorts of wine buzzwords on the wind these days, but one that you might hear floating around more than usual is the term “natural wine.” Um, what?! The word “natural” means different things to different people. And it also applies to all sorts of different things in the world. So...what makes a wine natural? Let’s dig in.

I like to tell my wine students and friends that they should think about wine in the same way that they think about food. Some foods are whole, untouched, and come from pesticide-free land. Like an organic Honeycrisp apple! Other foods are processed and packaged, include preservatives, lots of salt, and other things that might enhance the food’s flavor or shelf life. Like, say, Cheez-Its!

Now whether you reach for the Honeycrisp apple or the Cheez-Its (or both!), you make your decision based on having lots of information about how each food is made. Right? It’s the same with wine!

There is a group of wines out there that are made to taste exactly the...