Organic red wine, everything you need to know about its rise

The rise of organic red wines in France

A few years ago, the production of organic red wine was limited, the quality of the wines, although more respectful of the environment, did not reach the level of the best traditional red wines.

But in recent years, with the conversion of a large number of winemakers to organic farming, and after years of experimentation and learning, new 100% organic vineyards are emerging, and production quality improves year after year, to the great delight of modern wine lovers, equally drawn to quality wines as they are concerned by environmental issues.

This is notably the case of Gérard Bertrand, winemaker, entrepreneur and visionary, who has succeeded in combining his passion for wine and the art de vivre à la française with deep ecological convictions. This son of a winemaker has thus developed over more than 20 years a whole range of quality organic and biodynamic red wines, such as the cuvées of the Château l'Hospitalet, or the Domaine de Cigalus.

Find all our organic red wines and the Gérard Bertrand wine collections.

The differences between a traditional red wine and an organic red wine

The differences in the production method

An organic red wine is, as its name suggests, entirely derived from organic farming.

The entire wine production process thus complies with the European AB certification. This certification covers both the vine-growing phase, viticulture, and the wine-making phase, vinification. All the inputs used for the vine, such as fertilisers, or the products used during vinification, are all themselves organically certified.

Chemical fertilisers and other pesticides are of course forbidden during the production of an organic red wine or the best red wine. Unlike a traditional red wine, an organic red wine provides consumers with guarantees regarding the strict adherence to an ecological wine production method, more respectful of fauna and flora.

The differences in tasting

When it comes to the final product, a good red wine is above all a matter of people and expertise. The winemaker and the oenologist always play a predominant role in the creation of a quality red wine. We can thus highlight the work of Gérard Bertrand and his teams of talented winemakers and oenologists, who offer consumers high-end organic wines, such as the single-vineyard wines L'Hospitalitas, or La Sauvageonne, exceptional wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. After making this initial selection based on the quality of the producer, the taste differences between a traditional red wine and an organic red wine are numerous.

First of all, an organic red wine is a more delicate wine than a traditional red wine, which must be handled with care so that it delivers its full flavour potential. This fragility is due in particular to a significantly lower use of sulphites (sulphur).

Organic wine is thus easier to digest, better for health. In return, it is necessary to pay particular attention if one wishes to enjoy all its flavour characteristics. An organic red wine needs to be opened one or two hours before tasting.

In terms of tasting, organic red wines deliver more finesse, with a very present balance between tannins, fruit and alcohol. Organic red wines also generally have a lower alcohol content. By having more balance, they offer a broader aromatic palette, with flavours and aromas more focused on fruit, and less on sugar or alcohol.

Discover our various descriptive pages on red wine:

Organic Languedoc wine

The red wine in the south of France or the best red wine

Demeter biodynamic wine

Discover also:

The rosé wine or the best rosé wine

The orange wine

And to discover the world and the wines of Gérard Bertrand:

Its wine estates of the Languedoc-Roussillon

The Gérard Bertrand family history and his expertise

Biodynamics

Or to contact us