Natural Beauties
Organic, biodynamic and “natural” wines, often with deliciously pure flavours, are finally making an impact says Mary Dowey
An emerald army is on the march. Where once there were only a few mavericks – avant-garde guerrillas sporadically unleashing esoteric bottles on a wary public – there is now a well-organised militia storming the wine trade’s citadels: restaurants, shops, online retailers. Green wines – organic, biodynamic or “natural” – are finally here in force.
“The huge interest they have stirred up in Paris and London is definitely spilling over into Ireland,” says Pascal Rossignol of Le Caveau in Kilkenny, who has built up the most exciting selection in the country. “Some of these wines may seem a bit funky but people love them because they have so much personality.”
In my experience, many (but not all) have strikingly pure flavours, with a kind of inner vibrancy that makes them dance on the tongue. As purity underpins the methods by which they are made, they may be chosen for health and environmental reasons as much as for taste.
The Gloss, April 2012
