What is natural wine and where do biodynamic wine, organic wine and orange wine fit in?

I recently went to 1000 Trades in the Jewelry Quarter to kill two birds with one stone.

I promise I will do a post on 1000 Trades soon! This place is life!

Ok, back to stones. The first was El Borracho de Oro and their pop up Little Borracho. El Borracho de Oro translates into “the person who gets drunk on the fine wines and best liquors”.

Wine Press Girl and El Borracho de Oro would get on so well!

I had 10 minutes to wolf down some food so I ordered the bean and sausage stew. Having eaten at El B before, I can vouch for the awesome food! As I write this, the one month pop up has been extended to two due to demand. A nice addition to the JQ, also happy to have them on my doorstep in Edgbaston.

The second stone and the main course of the evening – wine tasting with Wine Freedom. Did you know 1000 Trades’ upstairs room hosts all sorts of fun things such like wine tasting.

 

The theme for the evening was Natural Persuasion, a journey through natural, biodynamic and organic wine. You’re probably what that even means?

What is Biodynamic Wine?

The first things that may come to mind are hippy, wacky types growing grapes in a cave-men-esque fashion. You might even delve deeper, think cow horns, the moon cycle and the commanding of celestial energy. Whatever you’re thinking, these techniques take place in the vineyard, way before winemaking.

To break it down in very simple terms, the  universe is interconnected and in sync with plant growth. If these things are balanced we can grow good crops, resulting in fine wine.

This holistic method can be seen as a true expression of terroir. Note, that biodynamic methods do not change the flavour of the wine.

What is Organic Wine?

Again, in very simple terms, wine sans chemicals. No artificial chemical fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides. Additives such as yeast, egg white etc are fine and do not deem a wine non-organic.

What is Orange Wine?

Orange wine is made from white grapes, not oranges or red grapes. It gets exciting, they get crushed, skin still attached they are left in a vessel (sometimes clay, cement or ceramic), the seeds are thrown in too. They are left to develop. Long story short, we are left with an orange coloured liquid, known an orange wine. Characteristics tend to be tannin, bitter (in a nice way I guess..) and a nuttiness.

The Wines 

1. 47 AD Organic Prosecco DOC – Veneto, Italy | Apple, pear, off dry, frizzante style.
2. Vesco Family Ciello Bianco 2016 – Alcamo, Sicily | Cataratto, honey, melon, bitter lime, almonds.
3.  Mother Rock ‘Force Majeure’ Chenin Blanc 2016 – Swartland, South Africa | Funky, farmyard, buttery, pineapple and mango. Very slight petillance. No oak and minimal intervention, providing a fresh and superb wine with aging potential.
4. Davenport Limney ‘Horsmonden’ White 2015 – East Sussex, England | Peach, apricot yoghurt, lime zest and floral notes.
5. Lunaria Ramoro Pinot Grigio Romato 2015 – Lunaria, Abruzzo | Orange wine, well more salmon than orange. This wine is wild fermented with skin and pips in stainless steel for around a month. Floral, peaches.
6. Eschenhof Holzer Zweigelt 2015 – Wagram, Austria | Bitter red cherry, plum, spice and violet.
7. Gonzalo Gonzalo ‘Gran Cerdo’ 2015 – Rioja, Spain | Strawberry, raspberry and cherry. Nice and clean with minerality.
8. WMD (Wines of Momentary Destination) The Will to Live Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 – Istria, Croatia | One winemaker, one vineyard, one year making good wine. You’ll be lucky to find this wine, pretty much out of stock. Blackcurrant, menthol, clove.

A really fun and interactive wine tasting event hosted by Sam Olive of Wine Freedom. The event was only £12 and I can’t wait for another!

I need to get my hands on a couple of bottles of the Force Majeure, Davenport Limney ‘Horsmonden and the Lunaria Ramoro Romato. 6 pack sorted, I know what I’ll be drinking this Summer. Come on sunshine!

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I paid my own way and didn’t say no to left over wine on the tables.

As always, my writing and my honest views.

-Wine Press Girl