The Glory of O!

“…drinking Organic, it’s never been easier to do it. All over the wine producing world thousands of properties are now been planted by producers who recognise that sustainable agriculture is just better. The big O is just getting bigger all the time. We will all benefit from its growth” Richard Ehrlich, The Independent on Sunday.

Believing that Organic wines (because of their very nature) are generally better than their non-organic counterparts simply isn’t true. It’s always possible to make a poor wine out of great fruit but not a great wine out of poor fruit.

What’s certain is that committed Organic winemakers enjoy a head start when it comes to working with top quality raw material because the grapes are cultivated in a more environmentally sensitive manner without recourse to chemicals or pesticides. When you add a more ‘hands-off’ approach in the winery, preferring to let Mother Nature take control, the end result is a wine that truly reflects the character of the fruit and the place from where it was made – what the French call ‘terroir.’

But it’s not only winemakers who are big winners in the Organic game. In the vineyard, because of the reduction in toxic chemicals, soil and water health recovers which ultimately creates a rich and welcoming habitat for the local flora and fauna - enhancing biodiversity and the local environment.

From vineyard workers to wine enthusiasts, people also benefit from the Organic experience, which tends to be labour intensive helping to create and sustain local employment.

So the next time you’re rooting around the local independent wine merchant, it’s really worth checking-out the Organic alternative. Chances are you’ll be rewarded for your effort by discovering a purer expression in the wines natural fruit flavours. Not forgetting that the lack of additives and chemicals greatly reduces your chances of a hangover. In Organic wines less definitely means more!

Organic recommendations

For years now Chateau Musar have been a real favourite of ours. When we've invited the good people at this estate to our tastings they've normally been mobbed by tasters wishing to sample the irrepressible and truly unique viticultural magic that is Chateau Musar.

The allure of this magnificent, multi award-winning, Lebanese estate continues. Following on from a string of highly-successful vintages, much admired by the world's greatest wine luminaries such as Robert Parker and Michael Broadbent, Chateau Musar recently announced that they will soon be certified as a fully organic estate.

With this in mind, we thought we'd give you a quick review of the Musar vintages we currently stock beginning with news of Chateau Musar's latest exciting release - the eminantly affordable Musar Jeune 2008.

Musar Jeune 2008  £8.95

For those new to Chateau Musar prepare yourself for a real treat! Untrained Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon vines were allowed to grow as they please in the estate's high altitude vineyards situated on the foothills of the Bekaa Valley. Packed with blackcurrant, cherry, redcurrant and raspberry flavours - this is seriously impressive stuff guaranteed to satisfy even die hard Musar fans at a fraction of the price of the more loftier vintage offerings,

Chateau Musar 1999  £26.95

For a supreme expression of all that is Chateau Musar this vintage is simply world class. Featuring prominently in Neil Beckett and Hugh Johnson's '1001 wines To Try Before You Die', Harmonious, complex, exotic and more-ish are but a few of the adjectives describing this outstanding, multi medal-winning, wine.

Chateau Musar 2001  £21.95

Following-on from what seems an abnormally hot growing season the Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault fruit was harvested earlier than usual to preserve flavour. A crucial decision that's payed dividends in the eventual quality of this wine. Stuffed with cigar box spice, warm leather, baked fruits, ripe morello cherry and blackcurrant flavours followed by a ridiculously sumptous dark chocolate finish.

Chateau Musar 2002  £19.95

Timely rains as the fruit was beginning to ripen meant that the fruit took slightly longer to ripen than usual. No bad thing in the case of Chateau Musar because the resulting fruit reached seriously high levels of flavour complexity and maturity. Intensely complex aromas and flavours of spice, cedar and plum are reaching their apogee now. Our advice is snap this one up and enjoy. Or, for those with the patience of Job, stash at the back of your sock draw and revel in its developed delights in about five years time.

For those already seduced by the power of Chateau Musar we also have the following vintages in Magnums;

Chateau Musar 1999 £54.95                                                                                                                        Chateau Musar 2000 £45.95                                                                                                                               Chateau Musar 2001 £42.95

Demand for the above Magnums is likely to be high. They are extremely limited and sold on a strictly first come, first served basis.