A First Foray into the Organic Wine Movement

  Contributed by Julie Fornaro, Public Relations Strategist, NewGround PR and Marketing 

I love a fabulous glass of wine. The region and varietal is less important to me than the love and care the winemaker puts into her creation.  I’ve tasted many incredible vinos but ironically have never really delved into the world of organic.

So when greeted by an Italian wine sommelier at my neighborhood wine store, I decided to give his region’s organics a try. I had recently returned from a mouth-watering jaunt through Tuscany and was forever changed. And when I selected four bottles, each from a different grape and region in Italy, I had high hopes. 

But my palette just wasn’t inspired. Each selection left me wondering if being organic meant the wine automatically lacked personality. I admit it could have just been the luck of the draw. However, just when I was about to give up completely on organic wine, a colleague introduced me to Ehlers Estate.

A Napa vineyard at the forefront of organic and biodynamic farming practices, Ehlers was established by French entrepreneur and philanthropist Jean Leducq in the classic Bordeaux winemaking style. One taste of the full-bodied, rich and juicy Ehlers “One Twenty Over Eighty” Cabernet Sauvignon took me on a journey through blackberry jam, truffle and chocolate perfection.  The aroma intoxicated me while the notes ignited my passion for wine all over again.

Ehlers will convince anyone that the organic wine movement is indeed both alive and doing quite well. And to boot, 100 percent of the profits from Ehlers goes directly to funding international cardiovascular research. Who can say no to organic heart health?