23 April, 2009

Earth Friendly Wines: Parducci Sustainable White and Sustainable Red



Yes, as Liza said in her post below, the Brixchicks love being green (but not sober.) In honor of Earth Day I just wanted to celebrate by tasting these two sustainably-produced wines from Parducci in Mendocino Country. Indeed, Mendocino County is the "greenest" AVA in California and this winery is a particularly good example. They are billing themselves as "America's Greenest Winery" and it seems like they really are walking the talk. They claim to be the first carbon neutral winery in the US. That basically means they do not add greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through the production of their wines, and they use alternative energy sources such as solar and biodiesel fuel. Not only are they carbon neutral but their vineyards are sustainably-certified, they are certified fish-friendly farming, and they are even "Demeter" biodynamic certified. And then there is the whole earth-friendly packaging in which all their paper-products are 100% post-consumer and tree-free, and the inks are soy-based and the cardboard for the wines cases are chlorine-free. That is pretty "earth-friendly."

But what I really want to know is how the wines taste. The "Sustainable White" White Wine Mendocino County 2007 is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Tokai and Viognier. Very light gold in color with a light bouquet of tropical fruit, with some notes of grass and citrus. The mouthfeel is a little creamy with a smooth finish. Dry and crisp with a hint of sweetness. I highly recommend you try it, and not only because it is Earth-friendly, but because it is well-balanced and tastes fine.


The "Sustainable Red" Red Wine Mendocino County 2005 is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Primitivo, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Viogner. That is quite a blend...Anyways, the nose is full of red and blue berries but with all those varietals it just does not have a distinct identity on the palate. It is drinkable enough but kinda young and a little on the thin side. Oh well, better luck next time. It is just that the concept is so new and so great that the winemakers should just keep trying...

In the meantime I give this winery kudos for caring enough about the environment (physical and social) and for making a really nice White wine in honor of our earth. Visit www.parducci.com for more information.