Best organic supermarket wines
Before we reveal some of the supermarket chains' finest organic wines, let's get one small matter out of the way -- there's strictly no such thing as 'organic wine'. All the wines we've featured here are actually wines made from organically grown grapes. Right now, there's no legal or accurate definition of a finished product that could be described as organic wine.
So why should you buy organic wine? Well, all organic grapes are grown without pesticides, fertilisers and fungicides that would otherwise ultimately make their way into you, the drinker. A study earlier this year by the European Pesticide Action Network found that of 40 European wines tested, 40 contained pesticides. Each contained an average of four, with the worst packing in ten. The European Crop Protection Association was quick to point out that the levels don't pose any harm to human health, but still… why take the risk? As well as putting fewer synthetic chemicals in your temple of a body, organic wines also mean fewer chemicals in the vineyards -- and on the people -- that grow the grapes.
The other big benefit about organic wines -- the idea that you can get plastered without getting a hangover -- is unfortunately a myth. All wines contain a preservative called Sulphites, and organic wines usually contain less. Theoretically that means less of a headache, but if it's a clear head you're after, you'd be better off sticking to the pint-of-water-before-bed trick.
All the organic wines we tested are European. Although other wine-producing countries are fast catching up on the organic trend, France is the true home of organic wine, with over half the world's producers. Spain and Italy have grown quickly too. Fortunately, despite the lack of standards for organic wine, all the organic grapes from the wines below are certified by European certification bodies, which means they're covered by EU organic laws. In other words, you can rest assured they're the real deal.
Beyond the organic status and the supermarket's credentials, gleaning extra info about the vineyards' environmental efforts and the working conditions of grape-pickers is hard to come by. There's very little info in supermarkets or online. Happily, ASDA and M&S earned our praise by furnishing us with extra insight into the production of the wines.
On taste, none of these wines is a stellar performer. M&S had the edge for us and our expert taster, Chris Stroud, agreed, ruling that Waitrose and Tesco (the Côtes du Rhône) trailed just behind as good solid wines. Finally, there's Sainsbury's and ASDA's plonk, which is very middle-of-the-road but definitely quaffable.
Check out our full reviews below, and discover the best organic vino to pick up on your weekly shop.
ASDA Organics La Mancha Blanco 2006
Domaine de la Grande Bellane Organic Côtes du Rhône Villages 2006
Marks & Spencer Organic Botteghino Chianti
Sainsbury's SO Organic Soave 2006
Waitrose Italian Organic Bianco Moncaro 2007 Marche
