If you’re looking for a hostess gift, a wine for a holiday dinner or just a weekend evening bottle to add to your collection, these biodynamic and organic wines are a great place to start. I’ve curated red and white wines that are delicious, affordable, and sustainably made.
As I’ve admitted in the past, one of the results of months of detoxing my vices is that I’ve become quite the posh when it comes to wine, particularly red wine without additives.
Over the past few years since I completed my book, The Wellness Project, my quest for healthy hedonism has resulted in less wine, but also better, clean wine that’s made responsibly.
Luckily, organic wines are increasingly appearing on restaurant menus and are in no way inferior to the conventional heavyweights. The contents of these bottles are made using organic farming and harvesting practices—that is, without additives, pesticides, and the like.
What is a biodynamic wine?
If a wine is also biodynamic, it means that the vineyard is harvested sustainably according to the lunar calendar. Typically, biodynamic vineyards also have a working farm nearby, as wine production is integrated into the overall sustainability of the entire operation.
Biodynamic wines are free from sulfites, sugar or other additives. You can also safely assume they are organic even if they don’t have certification.
For a while, natural wines were also considered a gamble for taste lovers. Without a little help from labs to correct imperfections and irregularities from harvest to harvest, these bottles can often have an offbeat, off-putting quality. As my good friend, natural wine lover and aspiring sommelier, David Bruno, said to me: That’s a big misunderstanding.
While some natural wine makers like to experiment and go crazy, natural, organic and biodynamic wines are simply delicious when you know where to find the best bottles.
How can you tell if a wine is organic or biodynamic?
Some stores have started adding green tags or labels to some of their merchandise to indicate sustainable, biodynamic practices.
I received my early training in natural wines from Foragers, an amazing little shop around the corner from my old Chelsea apartment. In addition to food and restaurant components specializing in local and organic products, they have recently specialized in wine. I’ve tried many bottles from the store but decided to go straight to the source for more information on what to look for in organic and biodynamic wines.
Drew, the wine buyer at Foragers, pointed out that as with packaged foods, the back label is the best source of information on how a wine is made. There are a few different certifications to look for. Of course there is certified organic. But many smaller vineyards and winemakers won’t be able to afford official certification (like food stamps), so it’s important Read the back of the label where some explain cultivation and biodynamic processes.
Two other things to look for are SIP certificationwhat speaks for sustainability, and demeterwhich is the main characteristic of biodynamic wines.
If you don’t see a certification and don’t have time to browse, you can search for wines from specific importers. jenny and francoise, One that Drew recommended specializes in French wines. In general, the Loire Valley was one of the first regions to really embrace the organic trend. Louis Dressner is another to look out for in this part of the world. For some fantastic German options, David recommends anything with Vom Boden on the bottle.
The importer is listed on the back of the label, and if you see any of these three you’re almost certainly choosing a more natural wine.
If you’re looking for more natural options for your grape juice consumption, Drew has compiled a list of some of his shop favorites that are on the cheaper side, along with some other helpful information below. David has also suggested some more obscure natural bottles from various islands. Finally, Bianca Bosker, author of the fabulous wine memoir Cork Dork and this article on the wine additives industry, shared a few pocket favorites from her virtual wine cellar! I’ve also listed some of the favorite bottles in our household.
These wines cause fewer headaches the next day due to the lack of additives, but if you need them you can also check out my natural remedies for hangovers or tips for a full liver detox after a night of drinking!
THE BEST BIODYNAMIC AND ORGANIC WINE BRANDS
Drew’s Picks from Foragers NYC, under $30:
Les Vignerons d’Estezarges Grandes Vignes Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge, $17
Jenny and Francois are great merchants of organic and biodynamic wines from France. If you’re unsure of the certification on the back of the label, look up their name and you can assume it’s a pretty clean bottle.
Tangent Albarino, $18
The classic Spanish white grape variety is organically grown in California’s Edna Valley and is certified as sustainable by SiP (Sustainability in Practice).
Domaine du Mortier “Dionysus”, $25
This is one of our favorite no additive red wines in the shop from the Loire Valley in France. The Loire Valley is one of the regions that pioneered the use of organic and biodynamic farming, and is generally a good place to look for these natural varietals in a wine shop or on a restaurant’s wine list.
Castello di Tassarolo Sparkling Spinola Gavi, $25
That was one of the natural wines from Jenny and Francois, the bottle actually says “No Added Sulfites”. This wine is super fresh and dry with smooth bubbles and a clean minerality. It’s one of our spring and summer favorites.
Cono Sur Bio Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere$15
This one isn’t technically biodynamic, but it’s one of the most popular organic wines in the business and a great value.
Montinore Pinot Gris, $17
Demeter certified biodynamic wine from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Their website has good information on all of their wines (we also stock their Borealis and Reserve Pinot Noir).
David Bruno’s tips from the islands and beyond:
Comte Abbatucci VDF ‘Valle di Nero’ 2014 (Corsica), $46
An island breeze in a glass. A perfect rose for all summer.
Antoine Arena Patrimonio ‘Carco Blanc’ 2014 (Corsica), $56
Although a little more expensive, this Vermentino is crisp and clean for those looking to shake up their usual Sauv Blanc drinking game.
Bellus Frappato ‘Scopello’ Sicilia 2014, $25
This Sicilian light red tastes good all year round with a slight chill.
Envinate Canary Islands ‘Taganan’ Blanco 2015, $37
Envinate currently produces some of the best Spanish wines for the price on the market, strong buy!
Enderle & Moll Baden Pinot Noir ‘Liaison’ 2015, $35
Away from the island theme, these guys make Germany’s most magical Pinot Noirs and have a fragile Müller-Thurgau that’s a 365-day killer.
Bianca Bosker’s back pocket picks from her year as a Cork Dork:
Pierre Cotton Beaujolais 2016, $29
Pretty much every bottle I’ve had from this producer is great.
Coturri “Carignane” 2015, $29
The Sandocino is wonderful too. Both are distributed through Jenny and Francois Selections.
Batic Angel Grande Cuvée 2010, $30
An excellent Slovenian white from a winery where the Mediterranean and Alpine climates meet.
Occhipinti Sp 68 Sicilia Bianco 2016, $30
Me and my husband’s selections from our local organic wine store Thirst in Fort Greene and Verve in Manhattan:
Bonnet Cotton, “Ygueule VDF” 2020$30.00 $30.00
Jean Foillard Beaujolais Villages 2020$29
Eyrie Pinot Gris Dundee Hills 2018$24
We visited this Oregon winery in 2015 and their wines never disappoint. They are also, in our opinion, much more affordable than anything else in California that has superior quality. Their pinot noir is very nice too.
Stefano Massone Gavi Masera 2021$15
Gavi is a fantastic light white from Umbria. When we see it on a menu, we always know that it will go well with many different flavors on our plate. It’s a fantastic choice for the holidays when you’re not sure what’s on the menu.
Do you have favorite brands for natural, organic or biodynamic wines? Let me know in the comments so we can add to our arsenal!