January is usually the month for detoxing, dieting and being o~ the booze so, rather unexpectedly for this month’s page, I’m taking you momentarily back on the wagon – the organic, biodynamic and natural wine-wagon.
PHOTOGRAPH: MICHAEL TUREK/GALLERY STOCK
Let’s start with organic wines that you can now find in most major retailers and might assume equate to a more natural process or variety. Sadly, they may not be as pure as you think. EU-certified organic wines are permitted to include many chemical additives and a fair amount of sulphites unless they are deemed 100 per cent organic (rarely the case). The means by which a wine can be certifiably organic is largely down to the growing processes – if the grapes are grown organically then this qualifies them as such, but any number of sulphites – or sulphur chemical compounds – can be added post-harvest so they’re not always as clean as they seem.