Ethical Wine: An alternate path.
Tasting and Seminar
with sommelier Steven McDonald MS and wine writer Dale Robertson
moderated by wine writer Jeremy Parzen
featuring the wines of
Tenuta dei Mori (Umbria)
and
Santoiolo (Umbria).
Monday, March 14
10:30 a.m.
For the lead-off tasting and seminar at the 2022 Taste of Italy Houston trade fair, Italian wine educator Jeremy Parzen will be moderating a discussion of “Ethical Wine: An alternate path.”
He will be joined by Steven McDonald MS, wine director for Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston and one of the top tasters in the city; and wine writer Dale Robertson, author of Sporty Wine Guy and former wine columnist at the Houston Chronicle.
Steven will lead attendees through a technical tasting of the wines using the methodology developed for the Court of Sommeliers blind tasting exam.
We’re also hoping that Steven will share one of his wine-themed raps!
With the growing interest in organically farmed wines, consumers have become increasingly excited about buying and drinking wines that are “organically certified.”
But what many wine lovers don’t realize is that organic farming, depending and where and how it is managed, can actually be detrimental to the environment and the communities that live in proximity to estates where “organic” wine grapes are raised. Another thing that consumers might not be aware of is that even when the grapes are farmed organically, the vinification process may still include synthetic additives that few would call “organic.” Lastly, the financial burdens of organic farming can be so overwhelming that many wineries simply can’t afford the costs of the farming itself, not to mention the certification process.
Today, many winemakers and grape growers across Italy and Europe are looking to alternate, “sustainable” approaches to grape farming and winemaking. In the light of this, the organizers of Taste of Italy have asked two leading Umbrian wineries to share “ethically” farmed wines that reflect an overarching approach to sustainability balanced by quality. While they both employ organic and biodynamic farming practices, neither is certified and neither religiously follows the restrictive precepts of organic and biodynamic viticulture. The result is high-quality wines that help to bolster the health and well being of the communities where they make their wine.
