Dissecting a Wine Label- Organic, Sustainable, and Unfiltered

Guys and Food Podcast

Episode 023- Have you ever been to a wine shop or seen the terms "Organic", "Sustainable", or "Unfiltered" on a wine list? Are these real terms, important to your wine drinking experience or are simply marketing ploys designed to separate more dollars from your wallet? Our resident wine guy, Howard Riedel will help you figure out what theses terms mean and give you important insight for the next time you buy a bottle of wine. Howard is a wine expert and has 30 plus year career as a marketing consultant to the retail wine industry. Here are some of his recommendations in this category: Bonterra- A brand that evolved out of Fetzer’s early experiments in organic farming in the late 1980s, California’s Bonterra is considered the first mass-market organic brand. Emiliana- Chile already has an advantage over most wine growing areas because it wasn’t affected by the phylloxera aphid that destroyed many vineyards around the world, primarily in France, in the mid-19th century. It’s why the vines in Chile grow on their own roots instead of being grafted onto pest-resistant rootstock as most of the world does now. Chile is also one of the world leaders in organic wine growing, and Emiliana is the most prominent example. They produce several brands, and their Natura line is one of their best values. Dashwood- New Zealand is another country that has gotten strongly behind the organic movement, and Dashwood is one of their more affordable brands. McManis Family Vineyards- This winery in California’s Central Valley is one of many certified by Lodi Rules Certified Green Sustainable Winegrowing. Arrowhead Spring Vineyards- Located on the Niagara Escarpment, Arrowhead has long been a proponent of traditional farming methods. They’ve been expanding their estate vineyards and are using sustainable farming methods. Aside from the podcasts, there are blog posts too! For example, if you go to guysandfood.com, you can read my latest piece on why investing in an instant read thermometer beats the alternative. The Guys and Food newsletter gives you delicious recipes, helpful kitchen hacks, and other things that any food guy will find useful. Some of the things in the newsletter will be exclusive, which means it won't make it on the podcast or blog. Sign up for the newsletter, you'll be glad that you did! (Don't worry, your contact information will never be sold or made available to any other person or organization.) Remember to subscribe to the Guys and Food podcast in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, GooglePlay, and Tunein Radio. In social media you can find us on Facebook and Twitter! Please feel free to reach out with your questions or comments. You can do that by clicking on the Contact button, email me at gabe@ guysandfood.com, or call the listener line at 716-427-GUYS (4897).