I would like to order wines that have NO added sulfites or yeasts. I have many allergies to things like eggs, corn, soy, yeast, wheat. I drink wine occasionally and LOVE it. I do notice tho that most wines give me real headaches and uck feeling. Do you have any available that are 100% organic, not just organic grapes? I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to finding great wines to drink in 2009.
Also, my son likes reds, I have drank mostly whites, like pino grigiot- my uncle brought one to me that had the most buttery after taste, which has to do with the oak? I donʼt know. But then my son brought us over some Chilean wines, two dif kinds and wow. One was too spicy but the other had some punch but not overwhelming, so now I think I need to look into reds as well. So I will be learning as we go. Just no sulfites or yeast added, is that possible?
Thanks, Joann
............................
Hi Joann,
Thank you for contacting us. Your concern is one that I hear everyday. If you take the time to read my pages on sulfites
http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/sulfites.php and on vegan wines you will see the difficulties of finding wines without sulfites.
You can easily find wines that have had no contact with albumin in the vegan section. In reality there is none left in the wines because of the tight filtration that is used for bottling anyway. This process also eliminates any residual yeast. It is impossible however to make wine without yeasts, be they naturally present or added, just as it is impossible to make yogurt without them! And there is no difference between the 2, it is just a selection of strains, just like you can make yogurt by chance, hoping that the right kind of ferment will be naturally present or add one which you already know. If you’re lucky you might get a fabulous result, if not, well…
On the other hand to import wines without sulfites is extremely risky and not worth the effort. Your reactions have 99% probability to be caused by other things, namely residues of pesticides or other chemicals. I have had thousands of sensitive people over the years completely satisfied with the level of quality that we provide. My sister actually got into this because of her extreme sensitivity to anything chemical and she is a very good “guinea pig”!
Bottom line, I will refund you if after trying any of our wines you do not feel just fine, that’s all I can say. Trying is the only way to know for yourself. However if you insist on finding 100% organic you will need to turn toward the handful of domestic producers who can provide them: Frey, Organic Works, China Bend, Badger Mountain (probably the best one). However their taste will make you understand why everybody else uses sulfites!
If you were truly allergic to sulfites it would be safer to drink red wines since there is always a higher content in white wines! In reality my own experience has shown that was not the issue with sensitive people. But you can only trust your own physiology!
DrMic
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Hello,
I just ordered your organic wines. I did have a question that maybe you could answer. I recently heard on a TV news program about wines tested contained metals. They listed the wines from 3 countries that had no metals. They were Brazil, Venezuela, and Italy. Why would wines have metal and were does the metals come from? Processing, soil? Any danger to health?
Thanks, Nancy
........................
Hi Nancy,
While this study has been drummed up if you look carefully at the way it has been conducted the results seem at a minimum unreliable or even not significant.
It is a meta study, gathering results of a bunch of previous studies and the way these things are put together and weighted is central to the quality of the results you get. Unfortunately this kind of occurrence is frequent nowadays in journalism under the cover of “science”!
The presence of lead for instance may be attributed to studies done before 94 when lead capsules were still in use (for expensive wines mind you) and therefore be totally irrelevant nowadays. It is not clear either if the amount found of any of the co-called heavy metals (I did not think Manganese belonged to them) is really significant in terms of their bioactivity. All of that seems pulled by the hair.
Based on these results I would not worry about it. In any case, if metals are found in wine, apart form copper which is widely used in the fields as an anti mildew, they probably come from their presence in pesticides or weed killers or even as pollutants in synthetic fertilizers. Since none of these are used in organic agriculture, this particular risk is probably close to 0 when you drink organically grown wines anyway.
All the best
Dr Mic
I just ordered your organic wines. I did have a question that maybe you could answer. I recently heard on a TV news program about wines tested contained metals. They listed the wines from 3 countries that had no metals. They were Brazil, Venezuela, and Italy. Why would wines have metal and were does the metals come from? Processing, soil? Any danger to health?
Thanks, Nancy
........................
Hi Nancy,
While this study has been drummed up if you look carefully at the way it has been conducted the results seem at a minimum unreliable or even not significant.
It is a meta study, gathering results of a bunch of previous studies and the way these things are put together and weighted is central to the quality of the results you get. Unfortunately this kind of occurrence is frequent nowadays in journalism under the cover of “science”!
The presence of lead for instance may be attributed to studies done before 94 when lead capsules were still in use (for expensive wines mind you) and therefore be totally irrelevant nowadays. It is not clear either if the amount found of any of the co-called heavy metals (I did not think Manganese belonged to them) is really significant in terms of their bioactivity. All of that seems pulled by the hair.
Based on these results I would not worry about it. In any case, if metals are found in wine, apart form copper which is widely used in the fields as an anti mildew, they probably come from their presence in pesticides or weed killers or even as pollutants in synthetic fertilizers. Since none of these are used in organic agriculture, this particular risk is probably close to 0 when you drink organically grown wines anyway.
All the best
Dr Mic
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Hi,
I've ordered wine a couple times from your site and particularly enjoyed the 2004 Coteaux du Languedoc Domaine Didier (no-added-sulfites red wine). I just went on to try to re-order some, but couldn't seem to find it anywhere on your site. Are you no longer carrying it, or is it just temporarily out-of-stock? Thanks for your help.
Best,
Shannon
......................................
Hi Shannon,
Unfortunately our good friend Didier died from a ruptured aneurism earlier this year and his wife could not follow in his footsteps. There won’t be anymore Didier wine!
It was indeed exceptional by many aspects and I doubt very much to find anything comparable. No added SO2 wines are generally not that great and when they are their price is also high. Add to that the high risk of importing such wines and you will understand why I am very cautious with them!
Château Véronique is one of the closest wines (or Bousquette) we have.
Sorry about that
Dr Mic
I've ordered wine a couple times from your site and particularly enjoyed the 2004 Coteaux du Languedoc Domaine Didier (no-added-sulfites red wine). I just went on to try to re-order some, but couldn't seem to find it anywhere on your site. Are you no longer carrying it, or is it just temporarily out-of-stock? Thanks for your help.
Best,
Shannon
......................................
Hi Shannon,
Unfortunately our good friend Didier died from a ruptured aneurism earlier this year and his wife could not follow in his footsteps. There won’t be anymore Didier wine!
It was indeed exceptional by many aspects and I doubt very much to find anything comparable. No added SO2 wines are generally not that great and when they are their price is also high. Add to that the high risk of importing such wines and you will understand why I am very cautious with them!
Château Véronique is one of the closest wines (or Bousquette) we have.
Sorry about that
Dr Mic
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
hello, I was reading about your company and want to ask one question
before I place my order.
I drink wine on occasion. Two sips is the perfect digestive aid for
me. So, I tend to pour much wine down the drain as the bottle goes bad
before I finish it. A friend suggested port as it has a long shelf
life. Is this true? If so, I will order your organic port. Thank you
for your time
Pal
.....................
Certainly! Port can be kept for a long time as well as Cartagene (which is much sweeter though), the bottle standing and corked in a fresh place (but not fridge necessarily).
However if you enjoy red wines ours can last up to a week without much difficulty. If you get one of these stoppers where you can pull the air out you extend their life quite a bit. That's what I use when I have opened many bottles for a tasting. Other option: a bomb of neutral gas (nitrogen) that protects from oxygen with the same result of life extension (used in wine bars)
Dr Mic
before I place my order.
I drink wine on occasion. Two sips is the perfect digestive aid for
me. So, I tend to pour much wine down the drain as the bottle goes bad
before I finish it. A friend suggested port as it has a long shelf
life. Is this true? If so, I will order your organic port. Thank you
for your time
Pal
.....................
Certainly! Port can be kept for a long time as well as Cartagene (which is much sweeter though), the bottle standing and corked in a fresh place (but not fridge necessarily).
However if you enjoy red wines ours can last up to a week without much difficulty. If you get one of these stoppers where you can pull the air out you extend their life quite a bit. That's what I use when I have opened many bottles for a tasting. Other option: a bomb of neutral gas (nitrogen) that protects from oxygen with the same result of life extension (used in wine bars)
Dr Mic
Saturday, December 06, 2008
My sister has celiac disease and can't consume anything with gluten in it.
I was hoping to get her some wine for Christmas, and wanted to know if you had any gluten free wines.
Thank You,
Henry
............................................
Article 2
I was hoping to get her some wine for Christmas, and wanted to know if you had any gluten free wines.
Thank You,
Henry
............................................
Dear Henry,
I had to look up for the information myself as I have never heard of anybody using gluten as a clarifying agent! It seems to be indeed a possible alternative very rarely used in the clarification of white wines. However the following articles seem to conclude that there is simply no risk whatsoever in wine regarding the presence of gluten.
Article 2
In any case none of our producers use this product so you are clear!
All the best
Dr Mic
Sunday, November 09, 2008
I wish to purchase an inexpensive dry red wine that does not have any added sulfites as I am sensitive to sulfa drugs. The pharmacist said I would just have to challenge things with sulfites in them as I would be bothered by some and not others. So after reading this article, I would like you to recommend a wine with the least amount of sulfites.
Thanks,
Alice
.................................................................................
Hi Alice,
As you can read on my website there is more to this subject than the simple number representing sulfites. First of all this number is not often available since it is actually different with every bottling done by the vintner. Conditions change over the course of the year and therefore the quantity of added sulfites in the bottle vary. Then in many cases people are actually sensitive to other chemicals present in wine other than sulfites OR to the combination of one with the other. Consequently there is no way to assess your sensitivity to a wine unless you try it with your own physiology. Your pharmacist is right! All our wines being organically grown have less than 100ppm of sulfites in them. The Didier has the least amount, unfortunately we are getting to the last cases of it.
Finally people imagine that it should be easy to simply make a wine without sulfites. In reality it is very difficult to make a good wine like that and particularly one that lasts! The financial risk is extreme for the producer and the distributor! You can try domestic wines without sulfites (my Daily Red and Frey wines for instance). They are cheap and sell well but are definitely not good in our opinion. Decent organic wines without sulfites will never be cheap, that is a contradiction in terms! The extra care required and the financial risk assumed will always be reflected in the price!
Balance is the main factor in everything you ingest. We guarantee that our wines will agree with you or we refund them so confident we are about their quality.
Red wines in general contain less sulfites however since they are more complex they also contain elements that may induce other responses, there is no simple answer!
sincerely
Dr Mic
Thanks,
Alice
.................................................................................
Hi Alice,
As you can read on my website there is more to this subject than the simple number representing sulfites. First of all this number is not often available since it is actually different with every bottling done by the vintner. Conditions change over the course of the year and therefore the quantity of added sulfites in the bottle vary. Then in many cases people are actually sensitive to other chemicals present in wine other than sulfites OR to the combination of one with the other. Consequently there is no way to assess your sensitivity to a wine unless you try it with your own physiology. Your pharmacist is right! All our wines being organically grown have less than 100ppm of sulfites in them. The Didier has the least amount, unfortunately we are getting to the last cases of it.
Finally people imagine that it should be easy to simply make a wine without sulfites. In reality it is very difficult to make a good wine like that and particularly one that lasts! The financial risk is extreme for the producer and the distributor! You can try domestic wines without sulfites (my Daily Red and Frey wines for instance). They are cheap and sell well but are definitely not good in our opinion. Decent organic wines without sulfites will never be cheap, that is a contradiction in terms! The extra care required and the financial risk assumed will always be reflected in the price!
Balance is the main factor in everything you ingest. We guarantee that our wines will agree with you or we refund them so confident we are about their quality.
Red wines in general contain less sulfites however since they are more complex they also contain elements that may induce other responses, there is no simple answer!
sincerely
Dr Mic
Sunday, November 02, 2008
I was looking at your organic wines and could only find two bottles and both looked like red wine, but from the testimonies from people it sounded like you had some white wines, where might I find them?
thank you
.....................................................................
You were at the right place! Unfortunately the white wine we had was a Muscadet and the producer had an horrible 2007 season so simply did not make any last year. I will see if there is any hope for 2008.
NSA (No AddedSulfites) wines are rare, usually expensive, not always good and particularly dangerous (for us) to handle since when they turn bad we are the ones holding the bag and taking responsibility for the loss. Too late to complain to the producer since we are supposed to know what we are doing when we buy them!
All in all a very risky business for the sake of a product we don't particularly feel is necessary or justified. Indeed it is an extremely rare individual (I would say a few per million) who cannot drink our "regular" organically grown wines which carry only a limited amount of sulfites. Even my sister who is highly sensitive to anything looking like a chemical drinks them every day of her life without ever a problem. This explains the paucity of our offer. Importing them involves high risk and the domestic ones you can find are frankly not that drinkable!
So for now you have to give a try to our regular white wines and go on trust! If they don't agree with you I will gladly refund your purchase!
DrMic
thank you
.....................................................................
You were at the right place! Unfortunately the white wine we had was a Muscadet and the producer had an horrible 2007 season so simply did not make any last year. I will see if there is any hope for 2008.
NSA (No AddedSulfites) wines are rare, usually expensive, not always good and particularly dangerous (for us) to handle since when they turn bad we are the ones holding the bag and taking responsibility for the loss. Too late to complain to the producer since we are supposed to know what we are doing when we buy them!
All in all a very risky business for the sake of a product we don't particularly feel is necessary or justified. Indeed it is an extremely rare individual (I would say a few per million) who cannot drink our "regular" organically grown wines which carry only a limited amount of sulfites. Even my sister who is highly sensitive to anything looking like a chemical drinks them every day of her life without ever a problem. This explains the paucity of our offer. Importing them involves high risk and the domestic ones you can find are frankly not that drinkable!
So for now you have to give a try to our regular white wines and go on trust! If they don't agree with you I will gladly refund your purchase!
DrMic
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I recently opened 2 bottles out of a shipment of 6 bottles of French Didier wine and it was bad.
I have not opened the other 4 bottles but expect the same problem. My other Didier wine that I
had previously ordered from you is fine. Please tell me what to do in order to get a refund or return of these 6 bottles. I would like to continue to order this wine or similar sulfite free wines but worry that it does not ship well or have a long "shelf" life. Please advise.
Thanks,
Jim W.
...............................................................................
Hi Jim,
There is no telling what will come out of the other 4 bottles unless you open them! Since I don't know what can be the problem on the first 2 that is impossible to guess. Corks come all mixed up in big bags and therefore cannot be just bad in a given case (unless the whole 1,000 or 10,000 are bad for instance which may also happen!). One could imagine that some shipments have encountered more heat than others which might explain the situation. In any case it would be silly to return these bottles: either they are good and you can enjoy them or they are bad and you can throw them out just as well as we can and without paying a second shipping charge! So try them out and we will resend or refund you the number of bad bottles, it's that simple!
This wine will be discontinued not because it's bad (because it has been exceptionally good for an NSA wine) but because the wine maker is dead! We have only a few cases left of it so grab what you can since we guarantee it anyway. NSA wines are certainly more prone to turning bad than sulfited wines and that's the whole problem. And what happens when they do? Well, it's a financial disaster! As you mention you worry about their shelf life. Imagine when you have a container load! That is why we stick to wines with a reasonable protection with a low amount of sulfites, that's the best of both worlds.
Dr Mic
I have not opened the other 4 bottles but expect the same problem. My other Didier wine that I
had previously ordered from you is fine. Please tell me what to do in order to get a refund or return of these 6 bottles. I would like to continue to order this wine or similar sulfite free wines but worry that it does not ship well or have a long "shelf" life. Please advise.
Thanks,
Jim W.
...............................................................................
Hi Jim,
There is no telling what will come out of the other 4 bottles unless you open them! Since I don't know what can be the problem on the first 2 that is impossible to guess. Corks come all mixed up in big bags and therefore cannot be just bad in a given case (unless the whole 1,000 or 10,000 are bad for instance which may also happen!). One could imagine that some shipments have encountered more heat than others which might explain the situation. In any case it would be silly to return these bottles: either they are good and you can enjoy them or they are bad and you can throw them out just as well as we can and without paying a second shipping charge! So try them out and we will resend or refund you the number of bad bottles, it's that simple!
This wine will be discontinued not because it's bad (because it has been exceptionally good for an NSA wine) but because the wine maker is dead! We have only a few cases left of it so grab what you can since we guarantee it anyway. NSA wines are certainly more prone to turning bad than sulfited wines and that's the whole problem. And what happens when they do? Well, it's a financial disaster! As you mention you worry about their shelf life. Imagine when you have a container load! That is why we stick to wines with a reasonable protection with a low amount of sulfites, that's the best of both worlds.
Dr Mic
Monday, October 13, 2008
Dear Michel,
the most recent order was shipped and received promptly. I wish there were a way to reuse that beautiful packing material and not waste it, but I can't see how.
There is a problem this time: The first bottle I opened was a Bousquette '03, and it is bad. I think the cork must have been bad as it is like vinegar. The second bottle is drinkable, but it isn't as good as I remember from before, like it is starting to go off. I guess I have to make my way through this case and see how the others are.
Herbert
...................................................
Dear Herbert,
Just keep track of the number of bad bottles and next time we will replace them with the new vintage. Remember our unconditional guarantee! It seems that this 2003 did not last as much which in a sense was expected due to the scorching temperatures of that year. But it may also be a cork problem. Vintners and particularly organic winemakers are caught between going natural with the usual natural corks which, because of the high demand tend to create problems no matter the price you put on them (mind you, they range from a few cents to a dollar a piece!) and going with other modern closures (screw caps, synthetic and reconstituted corks etc), which encounter resistance in the public and worries about their innocuity. A never ending problem!
Best to you
Mic
the most recent order was shipped and received promptly. I wish there were a way to reuse that beautiful packing material and not waste it, but I can't see how.
There is a problem this time: The first bottle I opened was a Bousquette '03, and it is bad. I think the cork must have been bad as it is like vinegar. The second bottle is drinkable, but it isn't as good as I remember from before, like it is starting to go off. I guess I have to make my way through this case and see how the others are.
Herbert
...................................................
Dear Herbert,
Just keep track of the number of bad bottles and next time we will replace them with the new vintage. Remember our unconditional guarantee! It seems that this 2003 did not last as much which in a sense was expected due to the scorching temperatures of that year. But it may also be a cork problem. Vintners and particularly organic winemakers are caught between going natural with the usual natural corks which, because of the high demand tend to create problems no matter the price you put on them (mind you, they range from a few cents to a dollar a piece!) and going with other modern closures (screw caps, synthetic and reconstituted corks etc), which encounter resistance in the public and worries about their innocuity. A never ending problem!
Best to you
Mic
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
I've returned to your web site and am unable to verify ppm on any of the wines. Am I missing where it is listed? If I do order, it will be on occasion not on a monthly basis.
Linda
.....................................................
You are not missing anything. I have simply stated a ballpark figure for the wines in the Sulfites section (30 to 60 for the reds, 60 to 80 for the whites, 100 for sparkling).
Beyond that, tracking sulfites levels in each bottle is a major headache, knowing that they change virtually at each new bottling, not just each vintage! And the difference are significant in numbers though insignificant in my view as an indication for you. Why? Because they measure the Total sulfites and never the active part which is the one protecting the wine and at the same time potentially harmful. This you never get. Therefore you can have a high total sulfites number with low active part and the reverse. In reality there is little information that can be derived from looking at the number only. Knowing that organic growers have a maximum allowed of 100ppm and that they thrive to stay well below is enough. Then it is your own reaction to the particular wine because there are literally hundreds of components in a wine that effect the way sulfites are absorbed. It is a very complex chemical interaction that no measurement will be able to analyze better than your own body.
drMic
Linda
.....................................................
You are not missing anything. I have simply stated a ballpark figure for the wines in the Sulfites section (30 to 60 for the reds, 60 to 80 for the whites, 100 for sparkling).
Beyond that, tracking sulfites levels in each bottle is a major headache, knowing that they change virtually at each new bottling, not just each vintage! And the difference are significant in numbers though insignificant in my view as an indication for you. Why? Because they measure the Total sulfites and never the active part which is the one protecting the wine and at the same time potentially harmful. This you never get. Therefore you can have a high total sulfites number with low active part and the reverse. In reality there is little information that can be derived from looking at the number only. Knowing that organic growers have a maximum allowed of 100ppm and that they thrive to stay well below is enough. Then it is your own reaction to the particular wine because there are literally hundreds of components in a wine that effect the way sulfites are absorbed. It is a very complex chemical interaction that no measurement will be able to analyze better than your own body.
drMic
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Did you stop carrying the larger bottle of the Cartagene Andre Bourguet?
I am able to find it on the Internet in the larger bottle but the different sites take me back to you and then I can't find it on you site.
I just love this wine, is there another wine that you could recommend in the same category with the similar sweetness? I don't care for dry or bitter wines. The Cartagene is the best..
Please let me know.
Thank You,
Christina
......................................
Indeed the new packaging is in 500 ml. It's the same wine, different vintage. The large bottles are simply less appealing and most dessert wines are sold in 500 ml size.
My friend André would be happy to hear you comment his wine! I sell very little of it but have always kept it because I think it is such a unique product.
sincerely
DrMic
..................................
Now that you mention the difference, on one of my orders I ordered for one large bottle and one small. I noticed a slight difference in taste, but I just thought it was me and I do agree the smaller bottle was better than the larger version.
Tell your friend Andre that I have never been a wine drinker much less a drinker of any kind.
I just had never acquired the taste for alcohol, but I am truly in love with this wine.
I look forward to my evening glass everyday.
If you have any other recommendations of another wine with the same exquisite sweetness and smoothness just let me know, I am willing to try another.
I will be placing my order this evening for another case of the "Cartagene".
Thank You Again,
Christina
............................................................
Well, the 500 ml were made with a different vintage so the wine is a bit different in color, less deposit too, different blend. This is not an industrial production!
It surely is a delight and you can surprise anyone with it!
In our line the Port would be the closest thing even though less sweet, more tart maybe more sophisticated in taste when the Cartagene is closer to the fruit juice.
Another delight is the Moscato d'Asti, light bubbles, high sweetness, delicacy in taste if you know the Muscat grape. The main problem with it, since it is only 5% alcohol, I can drink the whole bottle by myself without feeling any need to share it with anyone!
Finally if you look towards more "real" wines, the Gewurztraminer is the sweetest wine we have, very elegant, refined, a masterpiece!
Glad you're enjoying your glass!
DrMic
I am able to find it on the Internet in the larger bottle but the different sites take me back to you and then I can't find it on you site.
I just love this wine, is there another wine that you could recommend in the same category with the similar sweetness? I don't care for dry or bitter wines. The Cartagene is the best..
Please let me know.
Thank You,
Christina
......................................
Indeed the new packaging is in 500 ml. It's the same wine, different vintage. The large bottles are simply less appealing and most dessert wines are sold in 500 ml size.
My friend André would be happy to hear you comment his wine! I sell very little of it but have always kept it because I think it is such a unique product.
sincerely
DrMic
..................................
Now that you mention the difference, on one of my orders I ordered for one large bottle and one small. I noticed a slight difference in taste, but I just thought it was me and I do agree the smaller bottle was better than the larger version.
Tell your friend Andre that I have never been a wine drinker much less a drinker of any kind.
I just had never acquired the taste for alcohol, but I am truly in love with this wine.
I look forward to my evening glass everyday.
If you have any other recommendations of another wine with the same exquisite sweetness and smoothness just let me know, I am willing to try another.
I will be placing my order this evening for another case of the "Cartagene".
Thank You Again,
Christina
............................................................
Well, the 500 ml were made with a different vintage so the wine is a bit different in color, less deposit too, different blend. This is not an industrial production!
It surely is a delight and you can surprise anyone with it!
In our line the Port would be the closest thing even though less sweet, more tart maybe more sophisticated in taste when the Cartagene is closer to the fruit juice.
Another delight is the Moscato d'Asti, light bubbles, high sweetness, delicacy in taste if you know the Muscat grape. The main problem with it, since it is only 5% alcohol, I can drink the whole bottle by myself without feeling any need to share it with anyone!
Finally if you look towards more "real" wines, the Gewurztraminer is the sweetest wine we have, very elegant, refined, a masterpiece!
Glad you're enjoying your glass!
DrMic
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Do you know where I can get organic wine bottle corks? The only ones I have
seen thus far are TCA treated - I don't know what TCA is, but it does not
sound organic to me.
Thanks,
Michael
...................................................
TCA treatment means that the cork has been treated (there are several techniques, some based on steam distillation) to remove TCA which is the substance responsible for the tainted corks taste. Therefore it does not indicate a treatment WITH a substance called TCA!
Innocork for instance has a pretty good reputation.
Dr Mic
seen thus far are TCA treated - I don't know what TCA is, but it does not
sound organic to me.
Thanks,
Michael
...................................................
TCA treatment means that the cork has been treated (there are several techniques, some based on steam distillation) to remove TCA which is the substance responsible for the tainted corks taste. Therefore it does not indicate a treatment WITH a substance called TCA!
Innocork for instance has a pretty good reputation.
Dr Mic
Friday, June 27, 2008
I wanted to ask you, now that I am receiving your wines regularly, when should one slightly chill a red wine. I am told that not all red wines should be served at room temperature. I just received my 12 pack and a couple of the bottles said to serve at room temperature and the others said nothing about how to serve. The whites of course need to be chilled. I purchased a beverage fridge a while back and I am starting to use if for my new wines. It tells you basically where to place the types of wines. Red on top at a minimum etc. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Joanna
............................................................................
Most red wines do not appreciate being chilled as it tends to flatten their aromas so it is all a matter of degree (literally!) and your taste buds will ultimately be the judge.
As a rule, young, fresh, fruity, light reds with little extraction (and color) will be better off a bit chilled (like our Beaujolais, Barbera, Gypsy melody, Ventoux…) since they are in a sense closer to the fruit juice. The older guys with more evolved scents, more complex aromas will be fine hardly fresher than room temperature. Now that is tricky because are we talking of Winter or Summer here? In the old days the cellar was probably between 8 and 13 celsius (50 to 60F) and therefore the purpose of "chambrer" a bottle was to bring it to room temperature which, by then, was probably only 16 to 18 C (65-70F) far from our heated houses nowadays! It is interesting to taste a wine at different temperatures as it expresses a variety of aromas that will be released according to their volatility.
hope this helps
Michel
Joanna
............................................................................
Most red wines do not appreciate being chilled as it tends to flatten their aromas so it is all a matter of degree (literally!) and your taste buds will ultimately be the judge.
As a rule, young, fresh, fruity, light reds with little extraction (and color) will be better off a bit chilled (like our Beaujolais, Barbera, Gypsy melody, Ventoux…) since they are in a sense closer to the fruit juice. The older guys with more evolved scents, more complex aromas will be fine hardly fresher than room temperature. Now that is tricky because are we talking of Winter or Summer here? In the old days the cellar was probably between 8 and 13 celsius (50 to 60F) and therefore the purpose of "chambrer" a bottle was to bring it to room temperature which, by then, was probably only 16 to 18 C (65-70F) far from our heated houses nowadays! It is interesting to taste a wine at different temperatures as it expresses a variety of aromas that will be released according to their volatility.
hope this helps
Michel
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Hello,
I've been reading about the chemical in plastics called BPA and learned that this plastic is sometimes used to line the casks that are used to store wine (I think that's how it was used).
For this reason apparently wine has a very high level of this chemical that they now feel is a carcinogen. Do you know if the organic wines are stored differently? Or have your wines been tested for this chemical? I've ordered your wines in the past, and I'd certainly want to order even more if I could confirm that yours are BPA-free.
Thank you!
Donna
.................................................................
Hi Donna,
To my knowledge wine containers are made of
Concrete
Wood (oak, sweet chestnut)
Stainless steel
Steel or concrete covered with a special polymer paint suited for food
Fiberglass (epoxy resin + glass fibers)
This is what is used and accepted for organic wines
I have seen small containers of plastic used for carrying wine, not storing it. It is always an accepted material for alcohol products.
Now with advanced knowledge basically there is no safe container as even glass could contain lead residues and stainless containers have electric charges creating problems of their own. It's just a matter of how hard you want to look into something to find its drawbacks! You've got to own a very high level degree of chemistry and biochemistry to inquire about the thousands different products coming out, provided you have the time and money to do the proper research. It is a maddening search! All I can say is that our producers and all organic ones for sure are particularly concerned and attentive to this kind of thing on top of having stringent regulations.
It's a crazy world and we can only aim for a reasonable amount of risk without turning completely paranoid! There is no reason why this BPA would show up in our wines but I would not be able to give you a certificate for that!
Sincerely
Dr Mic
I've been reading about the chemical in plastics called BPA and learned that this plastic is sometimes used to line the casks that are used to store wine (I think that's how it was used).
For this reason apparently wine has a very high level of this chemical that they now feel is a carcinogen. Do you know if the organic wines are stored differently? Or have your wines been tested for this chemical? I've ordered your wines in the past, and I'd certainly want to order even more if I could confirm that yours are BPA-free.
Thank you!
Donna
.................................................................
Hi Donna,
To my knowledge wine containers are made of
Concrete
Wood (oak, sweet chestnut)
Stainless steel
Steel or concrete covered with a special polymer paint suited for food
Fiberglass (epoxy resin + glass fibers)
This is what is used and accepted for organic wines
I have seen small containers of plastic used for carrying wine, not storing it. It is always an accepted material for alcohol products.
Now with advanced knowledge basically there is no safe container as even glass could contain lead residues and stainless containers have electric charges creating problems of their own. It's just a matter of how hard you want to look into something to find its drawbacks! You've got to own a very high level degree of chemistry and biochemistry to inquire about the thousands different products coming out, provided you have the time and money to do the proper research. It is a maddening search! All I can say is that our producers and all organic ones for sure are particularly concerned and attentive to this kind of thing on top of having stringent regulations.
It's a crazy world and we can only aim for a reasonable amount of risk without turning completely paranoid! There is no reason why this BPA would show up in our wines but I would not be able to give you a certificate for that!
Sincerely
Dr Mic
Friday, April 18, 2008
Subject: Château Véronique
Hi there
FYI you cannot write "estate bottled" if it is a "Mis en Bouteille à la propriété", it is a consumer confusion. "Estate Bottled = mis en bouteille au château".
Best,
Stephane
PS: You can send me a case for my advice:-)!
.............................................................
Thank you Stephane! I would be interested to know the official text where you read that information. To my knowledge there is no legal difference between the 2 in French. It can be a winery with or without a Château or a family property. The legal information this is carrying is that the wine has been bottled on the premises where it was made and not carried in a container to a different facility, rented or otherwise, used for the bottling process. The idea is that carrying the wine elsewhere exposes it to further physical stress and increases potential exposure to contaminants or mistakes or even frauds.
Estate bottled means that the wine maker assumed the complete responsibility of the wine from the vine to the bottle and implies a guarantee of quality and origin. The fact that there is or not a building that one can call a Château is irrelevant to the quality and therefore not misleading the consumer. Finally there is about 10 times more labels with the term Château than there is actual buildings in the properties! And my information is probably dated!
Most Bordeaux properties for instance use several Château names as brand names for different quality levels whereas there is only One "Château" to speak of!
Sincerely
Dr Mic
Hi there
FYI you cannot write "estate bottled" if it is a "Mis en Bouteille à la propriété", it is a consumer confusion. "Estate Bottled = mis en bouteille au château".
Best,
Stephane
PS: You can send me a case for my advice:-)!
.............................................................
Thank you Stephane! I would be interested to know the official text where you read that information. To my knowledge there is no legal difference between the 2 in French. It can be a winery with or without a Château or a family property. The legal information this is carrying is that the wine has been bottled on the premises where it was made and not carried in a container to a different facility, rented or otherwise, used for the bottling process. The idea is that carrying the wine elsewhere exposes it to further physical stress and increases potential exposure to contaminants or mistakes or even frauds.
Estate bottled means that the wine maker assumed the complete responsibility of the wine from the vine to the bottle and implies a guarantee of quality and origin. The fact that there is or not a building that one can call a Château is irrelevant to the quality and therefore not misleading the consumer. Finally there is about 10 times more labels with the term Château than there is actual buildings in the properties! And my information is probably dated!
Most Bordeaux properties for instance use several Château names as brand names for different quality levels whereas there is only One "Château" to speak of!
Sincerely
Dr Mic
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Dear Michel,
My husband Danny recently purchased a case of 12 assorted red bottles of wine.
Unfortunately one of the three bottles of Savignac Merlot was spoiled. The top of the wine bottle was sticky when we removed the foil and the cork looks as though wine has leaked through. We have not opened the bottle. What should we do?
Thank you
Fionna
....................................
Dear Fionna,
My husband Danny recently purchased a case of 12 assorted red bottles of wine.
Unfortunately one of the three bottles of Savignac Merlot was spoiled. The top of the wine bottle was sticky when we removed the foil and the cork looks as though wine has leaked through. We have not opened the bottle. What should we do?
Thank you
Fionna
....................................
Dear Fionna,
For some reason this has been happening with the Savignac. Sometimes it has to do with the temperature or weather conditions at the time of bottling or other factors difficult to comprehend. The thing to watch is the level of wine in the bottle. If there one inch of air under the cork, then the wine that has run out might have been in excess and pushed out by dilatation. The wine could still be good and it’s worth opening. If it does not smell good it’s an easy diagnostic!
If there is a significant loss of liquid, the cork is likely the culprit and too much air has come inside the bottle with an assured disastrous effect on the wine itself. Well sometimes it can turn into a good vinegar so it’s always worth checking!
Let me know if the wine is undrinkable and I will refund you on your previous order or add a bottle to your next one, your choice.
Dr Mic
Thursday, March 27, 2008
I am seriously allergic to eggs and milk and have found that many wines are treated with the aforementioned- they make me ill. Are your wines so treated?- I would appreciate your honesty in a response? I so would love to go back to a glass of good wine per day.
Ruth
.......................................................
You will find in the Vegan wines section wines made without any animal products which should eliminate all potential risk for you.
Even though an allergy sufferer needs a minute amount of a product to trigger a reaction I doubt very much though that the amount of egg white or milk found in a wine could be responsible for such a reaction. Albumin or casein may be used to clarify red wines but they do not become part of the wine. They are added in small quantities, taken out and then filtered out! The possibility of residue on the wine is close to zero. But since we offer a reasonable choice of vegan wines you will be safe starting with those!
At your service
Dr Mic
Ruth
.......................................................
You will find in the Vegan wines section wines made without any animal products which should eliminate all potential risk for you.
Even though an allergy sufferer needs a minute amount of a product to trigger a reaction I doubt very much though that the amount of egg white or milk found in a wine could be responsible for such a reaction. Albumin or casein may be used to clarify red wines but they do not become part of the wine. They are added in small quantities, taken out and then filtered out! The possibility of residue on the wine is close to zero. But since we offer a reasonable choice of vegan wines you will be safe starting with those!
At your service
Dr Mic
Monday, March 10, 2008
We have now become so spoiled with the wonderful taste of your wines that nothing else tastes good! It is often difficult to make a decision on which ones to order, they all have their special taste and aroma. It must be wonderful to go into your wine cellars and take your pick of the day. What fun!
Again, thanks.
Janet
....................................................
You are welcome, Janet! This is the kind of reward we are looking for: to make you discover and enjoy new and wonderful wines and the people behind them!
DrMic
Again, thanks.
Janet
....................................................
You are welcome, Janet! This is the kind of reward we are looking for: to make you discover and enjoy new and wonderful wines and the people behind them!
DrMic
Thursday, February 21, 2008
I have msg sensitivity and recently discovered that wine grapes are sprayed with Auxi Gro which is another name for msg.
Do you use this product in your grape growing process?
Thank you for your assistance.
Barbara
Sacramento, Ca
.............................................................
Hi Barbara,
I understand your concern as the invasion of chemical products is growing by the day. All synthetic chemicals are banned from organic agriculture and growth factors (hormones and the like) like the type you mention are definitely out of the question.
However the formula for Auxi Gro includes L Glutamic Acid which is at least the natural form found in living things. The D glutamic Acid is the one posing problems therefore I would not say that Auxi Gro is similar to Monosodium Glutamate. Also the presence of this product in the final wine seems extremely unlikely since it is applied during the growing season and has all chances to be utilized or destroyed by the time the grapes are harvested and the wine made.
In any case choosing organic wines is always a smart move for your health!
All the best
DrMic
Do you use this product in your grape growing process?
Thank you for your assistance.
Barbara
Sacramento, Ca
.............................................................
Hi Barbara,
I understand your concern as the invasion of chemical products is growing by the day. All synthetic chemicals are banned from organic agriculture and growth factors (hormones and the like) like the type you mention are definitely out of the question.
However the formula for Auxi Gro includes L Glutamic Acid which is at least the natural form found in living things. The D glutamic Acid is the one posing problems therefore I would not say that Auxi Gro is similar to Monosodium Glutamate. Also the presence of this product in the final wine seems extremely unlikely since it is applied during the growing season and has all chances to be utilized or destroyed by the time the grapes are harvested and the wine made.
In any case choosing organic wines is always a smart move for your health!
All the best
DrMic
Friday, February 15, 2008
Greetings from a very dissatisfied customer
When I opened the 1st bottle of Chateau Veronique I recently ordered from you, I found sediment in my glass about half-way through. I emptied the rest to test it and found a shocking amount of heavier sediment. I had bought this wine for a party because I did think it excellent wine. Now I will be forced to buy more wine from a winery I can trust because, of course, I can't trust that your Chateau Veronique will be any good. So what should I do about the 5 unopened bottles?
Clo
................................................
Dear Clo,
I understand your concern and will try to answer to the best of my ability. The presence of sediments in a bottle has nothing to do with its quality. In fact there is a growing number of vintners who offer unfined and/or unfiltered wines precisely with the viewpoint that heavy filtration is taking away from the integrity of the wine. If you had the opportunity to taste a wine before and after filtration you would understand why people are debating this matter.
Depending upon temperature conditions while traveling or storing wine a certain amount of precipitation can happen in any bottle, even if it has been filtered, which is probably what has happened with this Veronique bottling. There are a number of factors influencing the amount of deposits. The only real "drawback" is that you have to pour the wine slowly and not shake the bottle to avoid putting the precipitate back in suspension. It does not alter the taste of the wine in any way. You can also pour the wine in a different jar. This is called decanting and was traditionally done for all great wines kept in a cellar.
It is true that to please the consumer's perception of and request for cleanliness the tendency has been to filter heavily all products, however in the organic field you will find more cases of products left raw or lightly treated. Did you find any difference in taste? I bet not and the rest of the bottles should be just as good unless of course there is a problem from the cork.
My sense is that with a little precaution pouring the wine you should find the wine as excellent as you knew it was and if that is not the case we will refund you as advertised.
DrMic
When I opened the 1st bottle of Chateau Veronique I recently ordered from you, I found sediment in my glass about half-way through. I emptied the rest to test it and found a shocking amount of heavier sediment. I had bought this wine for a party because I did think it excellent wine. Now I will be forced to buy more wine from a winery I can trust because, of course, I can't trust that your Chateau Veronique will be any good. So what should I do about the 5 unopened bottles?
Clo
................................................
Dear Clo,
I understand your concern and will try to answer to the best of my ability. The presence of sediments in a bottle has nothing to do with its quality. In fact there is a growing number of vintners who offer unfined and/or unfiltered wines precisely with the viewpoint that heavy filtration is taking away from the integrity of the wine. If you had the opportunity to taste a wine before and after filtration you would understand why people are debating this matter.
Depending upon temperature conditions while traveling or storing wine a certain amount of precipitation can happen in any bottle, even if it has been filtered, which is probably what has happened with this Veronique bottling. There are a number of factors influencing the amount of deposits. The only real "drawback" is that you have to pour the wine slowly and not shake the bottle to avoid putting the precipitate back in suspension. It does not alter the taste of the wine in any way. You can also pour the wine in a different jar. This is called decanting and was traditionally done for all great wines kept in a cellar.
It is true that to please the consumer's perception of and request for cleanliness the tendency has been to filter heavily all products, however in the organic field you will find more cases of products left raw or lightly treated. Did you find any difference in taste? I bet not and the rest of the bottles should be just as good unless of course there is a problem from the cork.
My sense is that with a little precaution pouring the wine you should find the wine as excellent as you knew it was and if that is not the case we will refund you as advertised.
DrMic
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
