Skip to main content

California Wine: It's Good to be a Wine Snob

Support Provided By
bonnypost

When people come into the Whole Foods in Venice looking for organic wines, we usually point them to the organic aisle. The problem with this is that while all these wines may be made from organically grown grapes, they may not be very good It takes more than just using "organically grown" grapes to make a good wine, and even the term "organic" can be misleading, as each producing country has its own standards.

There are however, higher standards that a wine can be held to that involve not only how the grapes are grown but how the wine is made.

To help direct customers to such wines I have begun labeling wines with a "snob" tag. S.N.O.B. stands for sustainable, natural, organic, or biodynamic. Sustainability involves water conservation, reduction of cleansing chemicals and minimal energy usage in wine production. Natural wine prohibits the addition of coloring agents, sugars or acid and minimal addition of sulfites. Biodynamics is a system of farming methods that work with the lunar calendar and involve creating a life system on a farm that is in tune with the natural cycles of life.

Biodynamic standards are even stricter than what is considered organic, while also involving principals of natural winemaking and sustainability. People will often talk about the health benefits of wine but neglect to address the health of the vines, or the relationship they and the farmer have to the soil, and the environment.

Fortunately there are organizations that are dedicated to monitoring and upholding these standards. Demeter is an organization, based on the biodynamic principals of Rudolf Steiner, that began labeling products that met these standards as early as 1928.

A winery that follows these practices here in California is Bonny Doon Vineyards. Owner and winemaker Randall Graham is known for his playful wine names and imagery, but he takes winemaking very seriously. A recent addition to the Doon wines is the Clos de Gilroy, named in honor of the garlic capitol of California. A blend predominately of Grenache, with a touch of Cinsault and a wink of Syrah, this wine delivers a mouthful of fruit with a long sleek finish. Raspberry and black pepper arrives wrapped in candied rose petals on a bed of silky smoky strawberry jam. This is a perfect example of how a wine that makes very little impact on the earth can make a tremendous impact on the palate.

Bonny DoonClos de Gilroy, retails about $16.

Support Provided By
Read More
A black and white photo of an adult dressed as the easter bunny with a giant costumed head, holding a little girl on their left who gives it a kiss on the cheek and, with his right arm, holding a little boy who brings his hands to his eyes as though wiping away tears.

Behold the Bunnies and Bonnets of L.A.'s Past Easter Celebrations

The onset of the spring season heralds the arrival of fragrant flowers in bloom — and all the critters that enjoy them, including the Easter bunny and families who anticipate his arrival with egg hunts, parades and questionable fashion choices.
A black and white image of an elephant holding a broom with its trunk. A man is seen near the elephant, walking towards the animal.

Lions and Tigers and Cameras! How the Movies Gave Los Angeles a Zoo

The early days of the movies in Los Angeles inadvertently allowed visitors to experience the largest collection of animals in the western United States. When animals weren't appearing in a movie, they were rented out to other film companies, performed for studio visitors, or in the case of filmmaker William Selig's collection — an opportunity to create one of Los Angeles' first zoos.
A vertical, black and white portrait of a blonde woman wearing a sparkly four-leaf clover costume as she holds her arms out and extends a leg as though in a curtsy.

Irish for a Day: L.A.'s History of 'Going Green' on St. Patrick's Day

Whether it was a parade, dance, tea party, home celebration or just enjoying a good ol' wee dram of whisky, here's a photo essay of how Los Angeles donned its green apparel to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and embrace the luck o' the Irish over the years.