Category — Organic/Vegetarian Drinks

London’s Real Food Festival takes place at Earls Court from 24-27 April 2008, and will feature a wide range of wines for tasting alongside the other produce.
Some big merchant names such as Bibendum and Vintage Roots (organic wines) will be there, but there will also be a few independent specialists AND some producers such as Domaines Schlumberger from Alsace (France) and Yalumba (Australia).

Another exhibitor will be the Irish-run Chateau Haut Garrigue in Bergerac (SW France), also known as Wild Earth Vineyards. Here Sean and Caroline Feely have developed an organic vineyard in the heart of France:-

In 2005 we left our city jobs to pursue the dream of producing fine wines from small high-quality individual parcels. Chateau Haut Garrigue offers excellent terroir, the right mix of grape varietals (merlot and cabernet sauvignon for our wonderful rich reds and rosé, sémillon and sauvignon blanc for our delicious whites) and old vines. We grasped the opportunity to follow our dream and to return to our roots (we both come from farming families).

Taste their red, white and rosé wines - and you can order them for delivery direct to the UK and Ireland.

For more in the Real Food Festival see www.realfoodfestival.co.uk

Fo more on Wild Earth Vineyards/Chateau Haut Garrigue see www.wildearthvineyards.com

Lovers of wine and all things organic can rejoice at the launch of Organi.co.uk – the new website dedicated solely to first class organic and biodynamic wines that offers a truly exclusive and unique selection of organic and biodynamic wines and champagnes.

The website helps “discerning online shoppers find organic wine for every occasion” Purchases must be in cases of 12, which can be one of several pre-mixed selections or select themselves.

Run by the Jackson family, Peter, Sue and son Chris, Organi.co.uk offers a very specialised and unique collection of organic wines brought together over a period of years. The Jacksons take pride in building personal relationships with only those farmers and vineyards who are passionate about producing wonderful wines in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Many of the vineyards have been visited personally before wines are purchased and the family show a real passion for the way the crops are cultivated and chosen.

With a directory of over 120 exclusive products that includes wines from the likes of Tuscany, Sicily, Bordeaux, Champagne and Mudgee in New South Wales Organi.co.uk lets you choose wines listed by wine type, country, region, grape type and even specific vineyard.

Founder of Organico, Peter Jackson, says:

“At last Organic and biodynamic wine drinking is on the increase and there are so many excellent organic wines and champagnes to choose from – for many years I have heard people talking about and buying organic food but not thinking about organic wine. Why would you cook a delicious organic meal and top it off with a non organic wine which may contain harmful chemical residues.

I think there is the misconception that organic wines are more expensive and not as good and at last that is changing as people realize that excellent organic wines are available and at sensible prices. Other than the pleasure of the taste there are several potential health benefits of drinking organic wines whilst the wildlife across the vineyards works to its natural cycle having not been interrupted by harmful chemicals.”

Organico also boasts the first ever UK shop dedicated to solely organic wine, located in Ambleside in the heart of the Lake District.

Key wines to be found on Organi.co.uk include:

Prosecco del Veneto Empiria 2005 “A great value prosecco from arguably Italy’s best white wine region. A drink much loved by the locals. This prosecco is hugely drinkable with lots of aroma and zing!” Price: £7.50

Colli Della Toscana Centrale Rosso Dominico 2004 “This is the first of Organico’s own ‘branded’ wines. It has a typically rounded and fruity Chianti style withthe subtle addition of 10% Merlot. It is a wine that the Tuscans drink themselves and we consider ourselves fortunate to have managed to persuade them to make a special bottling for our UK clients.” Price: £6.35

Staffa Daunia Rosato Contessa 2006 “This rosato has been created from the Montipulciano grape. A delightful drink on its own or with food it has a lovely pink colour and the wine is reminiscent of wild strawberries and other small red berries. On the palate the wine carries forwardits aromatic character and strikes a perfect balance between velvety soft and crisp.” Price: £6.20

ORGANICO

Fisherbeck Mill, Old Lake Road,
Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0DH

Telephone: +44 (0)15394 31122

Based in Manchester are Smithfield Wines; and generously offer free delivery within 25 miles of the centre of the city. Us poor things further afield have to pay £7.50 per case.

Plenty to chose from - the list spans the globe with particular emphasis on Vegetarian wines. Who would have realised there were so many vegan/vegetarian wines available! Kosher and Organic wines are also highlighted in the main list. While the whole world is represented Spain seems to be a particular passion with good representation from across the country.

Prices are, with just a couple of exceptions, firmly in the sub £15 range with a vast majority in the £6-£8 range.

Slightly confusingly the site is spilt into three ’shops’. There is the ‘normal’ general wine shop, a sub-shop dedicated to the large number of vegetarian wines and a third covering gift packs and hampers.

Smithfield Wine
3 Longacre Street
Manchester
M1 2WN

From their Eastbourne base the Sussex Wine Company are rather active on the tasting/gourmet dinner front. Their calendar brims with delights, that quickly sell out by all accounts.

We’re an Independent Wine Merchant based in Eastbourne supplying quality wines from boutique producers around the world. We have a comprehensive selection of whisky, spirits, Champagne, organic wines, and luxury goods such as caviar, foie gras and handmade East Sussex organic chocolates. We deliver to the UK and now the EU, offer free (UK) delivery over £100 and feature many discounted mixed cases. We also produce a monthly newsletter with further subscriber offers.

The range is strong on France, Italy and Australia. Other areas are a bit light but offer ’selected quality’ - Millton Opu Riesling an organic wine from New Zealand or Quinta da Boavista Espiga Tinto from Portugal for example.

For the gourmet the deli section holds many, mostly French, delicacies plus a wide range of caviar for those with deep pockets. Glasses, gift packs and gift certificates complete a good, broad range. Nothing wrong with the website either - easily navigable, clear and with just the right level of details on the products.

Delivery for orders under £100 is charged at £6.95.

The Sussex Wine Company
47 South Street
Little Chelsea
Eastbourne BN21 4UT
Tel/Fax: 01323 431143

Interestingly a new exclusively organic wine shop in Cumbria - Organico - will not be selling wine online. The company, interviewed in this weeks Off Licence News, thinks that selling online is “too cut-throat and bitchy for us”. Not sure where they get that impression from.

So sadly they wont be featuring much here on UKWOL for this site is geared towards online merchants - their websites, their offers, wines and their tastings.

If you are looking for organic wines then head on over to either Vinceremos (300 wines, beers and other drinks), Vintage Roots (again 300 wines and other organic and biodynamic wines) or Festival Wines (a new-last-year company with 39 wines listed). Finally Vine Organic, based in Scotland, was launched earlier this year. They list 79 wines.

I’ll try and have a closer look at each of these merchants over the coming few days.