Organic White Wines: Bonterra Chardonnay, Cono Sur Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Paired With Asian Vegan Dishes #WinePW

Bonterra Chardonnay (SRP$12), Cono Sur Chardonnay (SRP$11) and Sauvignon Blanc (SRP$11) Paired With Korean Japchae Noodle

I didn't start showing interest in organic and biodynamic wines until I got a lot more serious about wine blogging dating back a couple of years ago. Gwendolyn Alley from Wine Predator has been one of the subject matter experts who I learned about the theories in organic and biodynamic wineamaking. In recent months, her hands-on experiences as a "cellar rat" at Clos des Amis in Ventura County, California also bring in additional perspectives of making wines in a non-interventionist way. With this month's #WinePW theme of Pairings with Organic Wine, I received #samples from Bonterra and Cono Sur to #PourOrganic and to pair a few Asian vegan dishes. 

Organic grapes are typically grown without the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides

Growing Organic Wine Markets

We all kind of know the organic wine markets are growing. But how significant the growth truly is? According to the May 2021 report from The Insight Partners, "(worldwide) Organic Wine Market Size was valued at US$7,460.29 million in 2019 and is projected to reach US$16,647.81 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% during 2020–2027. IWSR (International Wines and Spirits Record) projects the organic wine category in the US will grow to over $1 billion by 2024, from $54.5 million in 2021. So what and who drives the growth? The simple answer is consumers, in particular, the health-conscious consumers, who know about the use of artificial fertilizers, harmful chemicals, and man-made additives throughout the grape-growing and winemaking processes. In the end, all these chemicals will go to the wine, then to our body. Consumers demand “purity” in their wines. They want the wine to speak the terroir, not the chemicals that mask the true taste and identity of the grapes. The charm of local winemaking tradition associated with organic wines also becomes a powerful marketing tool that not only often resonates with consumers as a "feel-good" story, but also offers the "unique" reason why the purchase should be made.

"Green" Wine Certifications (Organic, Biodynamic, and Sustainable) from All Over the World (Photo Credit: wine-family.com)

What is Organic Wine?

Organic wine is produced from grapes cultivated without the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Organic wine is free from additives such as sulfur, yeast nutrients, and fining, and it is produced by using yeasts that are indigenous to the fruit. For US, sulfites must not be added to the organically grown wines.

Affordable Organic Whites for Daily Asian Vegan Food

Bonterra Chardonnay is produced with certified organically grown grapes from throughout California including a large portion from Bonterra's estate vineyards - Blue Heron Ranch and McNab Ranch, in Mendocino. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and American oak barrels, Bonterra Chardonnay strikes the balance of freshness and creaminess. Taking a much fresher approach, this Chardonnay won't leave you with an overwhelming and confusing, aka, the dated "buttery" taste profile of some California Chardonnays had. I truly enjoy the tad toasty vanilla and creamy notes, but the uplifting zest of bright citrus and green apple notes perfectly links the wine to the Korean Japchae noodle. Let's make this vegan dish in four simple steps.

• You can purchase the Korean "glass" noodle at Amazon and cook it in boiling water by following the instructions on the package. When the noodle is translucent and al dente, it should be removed from the hot water and wash under cool tap water to remove the residual starch. Toss the cool noodle with a bit sesame oil while preparing the vegetables.
• You could cook whatever vegetable you desire for the dish. I usually use shelled edamame, shredded carrot, sliced mushroom, and bak choi. In my Japchae this time, I added brocoli and fried egg (sorry, eggs are not considered as vegan by some people) as my kids like them. With carrot and mushroom, I did stir-fry it with a little soya sauce and a pitch of sugar to add flavor. For edamame and brocoli, just blanch them in water.
• The taste of Japchae comes from the sweeten soya sauce (i.e., diluted soya sauce sweetened with sugar). Depending on your preference, I made mine with 1/8 of a cup of light soya sauce, 4 tbsp of dark soya sauce, 1/2 cup of water and 4 tbsp of sugar, cooking it in a small sauce pan until the sauce can coat the back of the spoon. The sauce doesn't have to be syrupy though.
• To serve, toss the noodle and vegetable with 2 tbsp of sesame oil and the sauce (don't need to have all the sauce in and adjust it to your taste). The noddle tastes best in room temperature or when it's lightly chilled.

 

Chile's Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc is a bright, clean and young Sauvignon Blanc that's made from organically grown grapes. The nose is intense, with aromas of white flowers, grapefruit, lime, lemon, and garden herbs. The palate is fresh, vivid with acidity and minerality. 

Suggested Asian Vegan Pairings:

🌱Vietnamese Rice Wrapper Rolls with Mango and Mint

🌱Vegan Pad Thai

Cono Sur Chardonnay is a fun wine that has aromas of orange, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, and quince on the nose. The palate is young, fresh, and has a tad minerality undertone. This is an affordable Chardonnay that goes well with a lot of simple Asian lunch flairs.

Suggested Asian Vegan Pairings:

🌱Asian Coleslaw / Avocado with Ginger Salad Dressing 

🌱Vegan Mapo Tofu

If you are still not convinced that drinking more organic wine is good for you, look at what the kids have been drinking - organic grape juice!

*Disclaimer: the wines are samples. The ideas of the blog are mine.

Check out what my #WinePW blogger friends are pairing their organic wines with:

• Robin Bell Renken brings "Organic wine – sustainability and beyond (plus recommendations and pairings" to Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Camilla Mann suggests "Sustainably Sourced Seafood + Organic Wines: Rock Crab Claw Crêpes with Bonterra's 2020 Chardonnay" on Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Wendy Klik is "Drinking and Dining Sustainably and Organically" on A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Terri Oliver Steffes sees "Slow Wines and Organic Farming with Lettuce Grow" at Our Good Life
• Nicole Ruiz Hudson presents a "Chardonnay and Chicken Showdown: Chile vs. California" on www.sommstable.com
• David Crowley offers an "Organic Wine Pairing with Veggie Burgers" on Cooking Chat
• Linda Whipple suggests "Vegan black bean burgers and organic wine: a planet-conscious pairing" on My Full Wine Glass
• Cynthia and Pierre Ly present "Mystery organic wine "Le Vendangeur Masqué" with crêpes dinner and economics" on Traveling Wine Profs
• Jennifer Gentile Martin considers "Organic Wines with Pasta and Shrimp" on Vino Travels
• Pinny Tam goes with “Organic White Wines: Bonterra Chardonnay, Cono Sur Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc Paired With Asian Vegan Dishes” on Chinese Food and Wine Pairings
• Martin Redmond presents "Sustainable Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Paired with White Pizza" on Enofylz.
• On Wine Predator, Sue Hill and Gwendolyn Alley have "AmByth’s Natural Wines, Biodynamic Farming for the Future."