I SPECIAL FEATURE IThe
I SPECIAL FEATURE IThe organic wine market will exceed 85 millioncases within the next two years, according toforecasts, with Europe helping to drive increases.According to figures fromIWSR Drinks Market Analysis,organic wine is likely to enjoy acompound annual growth rateof 9.2% between 2017 and 2022,which is faster than the overallstill wine market.By 2022, the IWSR Organic WineReport forecasts that the overallstill wine market will reach 2.43billion nine-litre cases, with 87.5million of them organic."Overall, total still wine volume isincreasing slightly but remainslargely flat, while the organicwine market is forecast to reach87.5 million cases by 2022"Mark Meek, IWSR's CEO, saidwhen the report was releasedlast year.Meek said that much of thatgrowth was being driven byEurope, which is forecast toaccount for 78% of the globalorganic wine market by 2022.Organic wines are experiencing strong growthThe wine marketachieves organicgrowthThe Americas will account for12%.In the United Kingdom, overallwine consumption is falling, butbetween 2017 and 2022, organicwine volumes are expected toincrease by 9.4% annually. Inthe UK, organic wine sales areespecially strong in LondonOrganic wine remains a nichemarket in the United States,but sales are increasing fasterin percentage terms than theoverall market. Between 2017and 2022 total US wine volumeis forecast to increase about onepercent, but organic growth isset to be about 14.3%. More than70% of organic wine sold in theUS is produced in the country.As shown in the report, since2007 the total organic areaunder vine has more than tripled,surpassing 400,000 hectares in2017Maintaining traditionsin the production oforganic wineChâteau Forge Celeste organic wineboasts two centuries of traditionsafeguarded by the Verhaeghe familyThe Verhaeghe family have two centuries oftradition behind them in the production oftheir Château Forge Celeste organic winein the heart of Saint-Emilion.On the terraces of Figeac, Karine and MatthieuVerhaeghe, the Château Forge Celeste ownersperpetuate long-standing techniques of wine productionand vinification. At the same time as they preservetradition, the Verhaeghe family have positioned ChâteauForge Celeste as a pioneer of organic viticulture withinSaint-Emilion.Aiming for harmony between wine productionand nature, they invite buyers at Vinexpo Paristo discover wines that blend the character of thearea with the purity of natural, without sulphiteorganic wines.Within the Château Forge Celeste, working in thevineyard is a matter of respect for the balancebetween natural cycles, elements and theamazing terroir of Saint-Emilion, to offer the bestexperience while tasting the wines.The owners go to great lengths to employtechniques that are respectful to both the earthand the people who taste the wines. Phytotherapy,total cover planting, vegetable compost and thelunar calendar are all used to create wines thatare good for nature and good for people.Originating from the unique climate of the terroir,from vines that are 40 years old, and from 80%Merlot and 20% Cabernet varieties, the organicand vegan wines are produced in a natural wayPAV 7.2 / STAND MN319ADVERTORIAL10 • VINEXPO DAILY • MONDAY 10 TH FEBRUARY 2020www.vinexpodaily.com
I SPECIAL FEATURE IChâteau Suau puts focus onorganic and sulphur-free winesChâteau Suau SemperViva sulphur-free offersripe cherries alongside asilky Merlot textureWith a wide range of red, white and rosé wine, ChâteauSuau, situated in the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux now hasover ten years’ experience in the field of organic, sulphur-freewinemaking.Under the direction of consultantwinemaker, Michel Rolland, theChâteau, located between the banksof the Garonne and the Dordogne, firstmoved over to organic winemaking in2008 in a bid to protect its land for theenvironment, future generations and tocreate a healthier working environmentfor its winery team. The winery followsthe Ecocert production practices fororganic viticulture.It has resulted in an extensive soilmanagement programme that hashelped improve the quality of both theland and the wine. Decisions on how towork the soil are based on its richness,the grape variety planted, the rootstockand the soil’s moisture. Throughout thegrowing season the winemaking teamwill decide which vegetative cover cropto grow between different rows of vines,and use seed mixtures to regeneratedifferent areas of soil.It has allowed Château Suau’swinemaking team to pinpoint byvine parcel and soil plot, the rightgrapes to grow where and what grassmanagement and fertilization might beneeded.The wines at Château Suau all benefitfrom 66 hectares of south-east facingvines with a heavy leaning towardsMerlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.The range includes a number of veganwines including Maubert Sans Soufre2019, made from 100% Merlot grapes,which offers intense fruit flavours withraspberry and blackberry on the nose; aSemper Viva sulphur-free blend of 80%Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlotthat offers ripe cherries alongside asilky Merlot texture; and a rosé, SemperViva Rosé, a sulphur-free wine madefrom 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, thatis vinified by pressing to produce a livelywine with raspberry and white flowerson the nosePAVILLON 7.2 / STAND MN324A vineyard on a human scalethat cares for the environmentThe Château Grand Francais 2010Looking after nature has been acommitment for Château GrandFrançais since 2002. While theincreased importance given tothe environment has becomeparticularly evident in the lastcouple of years, for ChâteauGrand Français it has long beena priority.This vineyard has been organicfarming since 2002 and puts greatemphasis on looking after nature,employees and consumers.“We are also certified vegan,and we attach great importanceto biodiversity and to thepreservation of all auxiliaryinsects, which contribute to thebalance of the ecosystem,” thevineyard says.With 12 hectares of vineyards,Château Grand Françaisdescribes itself as a “humansizedproperty”, something thatemphasises its commitment topeople and to nature.Management is focused ondeveloping the vineyard: they haveincreased its size by four hectaresand, at Vinexpo Bordeaux lastyear, they launched a cuvée.The vineyard’s wines areexclusively sold on the on-tradecircuit to minimise the use ofintermediaries and in orderto maintain proximity withcustomers and to keep control ofdistribution.“It is essential for us to travelto meet those who trust us andshow them our support,” says thevineyard, which at Vinexpo Pariswill be at the WOW! (World ofOrganic Wines) areaPAV 7.2 / STAND MN307VINEXPO DAILY • MONDAY 10 TH FEBRUARY 2020 • 11
