A natural inclination

2008 Seresin Sauvignon Blanc. Photo / Babiche Martens.

A "legacy of hairy old hippies" and their interest in health drove the first wave of organic winemaking, according to Australian wine writer, Max Allen. Speaking at New Zealand's first organic wine conference, held in Blenheim last month, Allen was referring to the movement here, though his statement could be easily applied to organic winemaking in many of the world's winegrowing regions.

But times have definitely changed. When I looked around the room at the 200-plus people attending the event organised by Organic Winegrowers NZ, there wasn't an obvious hippie in sight. Instead, I spotted some of New Zealand's most esteemed winemakers and professional viticulturalists keen to learn more about this trend.

Internationally, organic wines have come a long way from the hippie hooch of yore, often made by those for whom ethical concerns were far stronger than any aspirations to vinous excellence. In contrast, today some of the most respected names of the wine industry have chosen to tread this path primarily for reasons of quality.

Ross Trowsdale and Clare Bisso of Waipara's Dancing Water - one of a rapidly growing number of estates in the process of converting to organics - were convinced by what they'd encountered while working in Europe. "Many organic and biodynamic wines that we tasted had a uniqueness to them rather than a sameness," explains Bisso, "a quality that was as distinct as a 'great wine' rather than a "well made wine'."

For a country that has marketed its wines as the product of a clean green land, it's ironic NZ has been somewhat slow off the mark when it comes to the adoption of organics. With just around 2 per cent of its vineyards registered organic or in conversion, it's well behind countries such as France, Spain and Italy with closer to 5 per cent of their huge area of land under vine managed organically.

For some years a handful of quality producers have been flying the organics flag locally, eschewing the synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilisers once used liberally within mainstream viticulture. However, the fact that up until recently demand for New Zealand's wines outstripped supply provided little commercial incentive for others to join them.

"Tougher times make one look for alternatives," says viticultural consultant Bart Arnst. In growing sea of sauvignon and pool of pinot noir, more wineries have been going organic to provide a point of difference in a competitive market. Arnst, who has played an important role in encouraging organics in Marlborough in particular, also credits the recent surge in interest to the worldwide trend for more environmentally sound products and again, its ability to enhance a wine's quality.

For Clive Dougall of organic Marlborough estate Seresin, organics could be an issue with "commercial style machine-picked whites like Marlborough sauvignon" which dominate the larger companies' production, considering it better suited to premium hand-picked production.

However, countering this is the imminent release by major label Montana of a sub $20 sauvignon blanc made organically. While the 2009 is still in conversion, the 2010 will be fully certified.

This should help bring organics closer to the mainstream and, along with the quality focused boutique players adopting organics, out of the domain of the hairy hippie.

PURE PIONEERS

Seresin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $27.50

Seresin's standard sauvignon will be fully certified by 2009. Made from biodynamically grown fruit, this vintage is a weighty and textural sauvignon powered by concentrated flavours of blackcurrant leaf, green herbs and lemon grass. (From Glengarry.)

Kawarau Estate Central Otago Reserve Chardonnay 2007 $29.99

This intense and elegant chardonnay is made by one of Central Otago's organics pioneers. It's soft and creamy textured, with a silky citrus acidity underpinning its subtle toasty notes, umami-like savouriness and hints of mineral. (From Village Winery, Scenic Cellars, Super Liquor Howick, Liquorland Newmarket, Victoria Park & Albany New Worlds.)

Vynfields Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006 $35

A soft and silky pinot noir from another of the earlier estates to be certified organic, and still the only one in Martinborough. This has lovely supple berry fruit infused with notes of rose potpourri. (Caro's, Bacchus, Liquorland Howick, Victoria Street Supermarket - Freeman's Bay.)