Wine Revolution: The World's Best Organic, Biodynamic and Natural Wines

In her new book Wine Revolution, Jane Anson approaches the world of Organic, Biodynamic and Natural Wines with the committed enthusiasm of an exploratory wine lover, and the scholarship of a skilled, objective (even skeptical) researcher. What she has delivered goes beyond trends, fads and hashtags. Educational, practical, enthusiastically written, and at times endearingly charming, Wine Revolution reveals an emerging wine world that is frankly, astonishing in size, scale and impact. If your going-in perception of these wines is limited to a shelf set at Whole Foods, prepare to have your eyes fully opened, and to embrace many more possibilities. And, know that you may already enjoy (or covet) many wines in this guide without even realizing it. And if you have no idea whether to even begin an exploration of OBN wines, and are uncertain whether you will find anything to your taste, then this brilliantly written consumer guide is certainly for you.Never preachy, and often challenging her own extensive training and journalistic experiences as a Bordeaux wine expert for the UK's authoritative wine magazine, Decanter, Jane Anson brings forth example after example of successful implementation of OBN practices from some of the most beloved names in the universe of fine wine. And, she relates the passion, the artisan craftsmanship of small wineries embracing the notion that wine is grown in the vineyard, and is best suited to deliver a "sense of place" that goes beyond a commercially acceptable taste profile.The book's overview of Organic, Biodynamic and Natural wine production empowers the reader to better understand what is going on in the minds and hearts of the wine makers, particularly as they trace their path of production from table all the way back to the vineyard. And not only to the grapes on the vine, but to what's between the rows, and the environment surrounding the vineyard. The decisions facing a vineyard owner and wine maker are dizzying, even if hidden from the wine consumer. Solutions to problems do abound, but happily, many old solutions are finding fashion once again in the modern world of wine-making, while new options to old problems are proffered. The real trick, it seems, is to minimize the pain of some of those decision points through a careful investment in prevention, in doing things right from the very beginning of the growing season, and even before, in the choices one makes to convert acreage to vineyard land in the first place. What astonishes is the commitment to Organic and Biodynamic practices from critical and market successes like Chateau Pontet-Canet, a Bordeaux winery producing Cabernet-based wines at the very top of the quality summit. And, on a production scale to ensure worldwide availability (albeit at a premium price which is not a function of organic certification, but tied more specifically to the quality of their wines in relation to their peers and neighbors). These are not just garagiste projects. I was stunned to learn that between France, Spain and Italy, nearly 200,000 Hectares (500k acres) are "under organic cultivation". This is about 10 times the size of the whole of the Napa Valley AVA, and 100x the size of the nascent Texas Wine industry, as a point of reference.The larger portion of the book is a buyer's reference guide, helpfully divided into 4 profile categories like Sparkling Crisp Whites or Full & Warming Reds. Here you will find hundreds of recommendations from every corner of the world and from the most popular growing regions; with grape varietals at once familiar (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay) and perhaps to you, novel (Nero d'Avola). As you page through the guide, you might be pleasantly surprised to see labels and names you already recognize, and names from the pinnacle of all wine (Cristal; Domaine de La Romanee Conti; Pingus; Lafleur). Jane does make the salient point that not all of the wines included in Wine Revolution are 100% Organic or Biodynamic. But that in her research of this sector, every wine included is a sincere commitment to many of the principles embodied in OBN wine. I am thrilled to see one of my very first "wow" wines is listed, a modest Chateauneuf du Pape from Domaine de Villeneuve. I recall this wine from the 1998 vintage, at $35, bought at a small liquor store in Texas, and it turned out to be a formative purchase in my journey to wine, among the very first wines I ever had the patience to lay down for more than 5 years. So I can trace my own enthusiasm for these wines and practices for over two decades, without even being fully aware!Finally, I love the value-add in the book just as much --- the wine cocktails & digestifs; profiles of producers, sommeliers and chefs interviewed by Jane from around the world; and of best of all, her own tasting notes for each wine, accessible and lively, and as distinct from one another as the wines themselves. Remarkable. And if that's not enough, Wine Revolution repeatedly underscores the real truth, pleasure and culture of wine -- that wine is for the dinner table, and when paired with local cuisine, tastes and customs, wine is culture at its very best. That is true sustainability. Well done!

Brilliant and prolific, Jane Anson is always on the cutting edge of the wine world, especially now with this book, Wine Revolution, showcasing the significance, diversity and dedication inherent in natural/organic/biodynaminc that winemaking brings to the wine world and to the meaning of terroir. Detailed descriptions, photograph, and wine pairings accompany her entries as well as quotes and interviews with winemakers and sommeliers. It's an education and a reference book with many important lessons to offer as wine drinkers and foodies begin to shift the paradigm from mass-market and lowest-common denominator to a sustainable, traceable sourcing of hand-crafted wines and food. Bravo!

Book for son-he liked it.

What’s in a wine glass? These days: more than just white, red, rosé, sparkling or still.There’s also organic, biodynamic, natural, orange – and more.Not too long ago, such terms were not part of wine parlance, but some people today, even in the wine trade, grapple with and even fret over many of these terms, which can leave enthusiastic wine consumers bewildered.Does a “natural wine” make other wines “non-natural”? Are orange wines made from oranges? Do you have to dance to the light of the full moon to make biodynamic wine? And how different are biodynamic and organic wines from one another? And who determines them as such? Should we care?Of course we should.Just as food lovers pay attention to the quality of what is on their plate – Steak from an organic butcher? Carrots free of herbicides and pesticides? – why should wine lovers not seek out wines made as carefully as we want our food to be?This is the wine revolution going on today: a reaction to overproduction and excessive yields of wine to sell as much as possible, without paying heed to quality potential, with pesticide- and herbicide-soaked vines and vineyards that in the past (and today, in many parts of the world) deaden soils and curtail the true potential of terroir-driven wines.The revolution includes cleaner winemaking in the vat room, calls for lower uses (or no uses) of sulfur, and, if not dancing to the light of the moon, then taking into account lunar cycles in winemaking, to take but a few examples.Skeptics and cynics – sometimes with justification – scoff at least at parts of this movement for everything “holistic” and “natural” as yet more marketing ploys to ply plonk. Of course savvy marketing behind this revolution exists… and caveat emptor always applies.But a splendid new book – just in time for holiday wining and dining (and shopping) – finally brings readers a user-friendly approach to this revolution.Penned by friend and celebrated wine author Jane Anson, Wine Revolution: The World’s Best Organic Biodynamic & Natural Wines explains in clear language the tenets of biodynamic and organic winemaking – and how they differ from one another. The reader gets a clear sense as well of natural and orange wines (no, they are not made from oranges).A series of short and comprehensive introductory chapters outlines these categories. The book’s tone is never militant – as some revolutionaries can be – but rather practical.Quoting Miguel Torres Senior – one of the world’s most outspoken champions for green winemaking practices: “Even if we get close to carbon neutral in the vineyard, we have to accept that an inevitable byproduct of turning grapes into wine is the production of… carbon dioxide.”Before readers enter the meat of the book: loads of wine recommendations with quotes from the winemakers, sommelier and other specialists, Anson includes a handy series of symbols to designate whether a wine is organic, biodynamic natural, orange or – and I like this one especially – “low intervention.”The “low intervention” category respects, just as well, some growers who choose not be officially certified as either organic or biodynamic (official certifications for natural and orange wines do not as yet exist). Whether because of climate restrictions or personal choice, some vintners and winemakers reasonably claim that certifications can put them in viticultural straightjackets. So not fully organic, for example, but going in that right direction … Take for example Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon of Louis Roederer who is quoted in the book as preferring biodynamics over organically farmed wines, but says that the famous Champagne house does not seek certification.Anson also splits her many wine recommendations from around the world into specific broad categories to make it easier for the reader to compartmentalize wine choices, from “Sparkling & Fresh, Crisp Whites” to “Full & Warming Reds”.I find many favorites: from Champagne Agrapart & Fils Terroirs Extra Brut (not certified organic, but it never uses pesticides or weed killers), to Mas de Daumas Gassac (organic).Navigating through the wines with the handy symbols, readers can learn about old favorites and make new discoveries. For example, I had not heard of Pyramid Valley Vineyards Lion Tooth’s Chardonnay from New Zealand, which is biodynamic, natural and organic. The famous Coulée de Serrant Clos de la Coulée, which I do know, is in fact also all three as well.Anson’s book will please both wine geeks and people who just love wine, as it includes practical buyer sections like a directory of bars, restaurants and stores in cities around the world that sell many wines she recommends. A section on wine cocktails selected by master bartender and author Jules Aron is also a fun read.Finally, the feel of the book and the type used is friendly on the eyes. All in all, with just weeks left for your holiday shopping, I cannot recommend this book enough: buy it for yourself or your wine loving friends.

While I appreciate the dedication to natural wines, the book was focused on wineries or individual wines/ vintages that are extremely difficult to find for purchase or are very expensive. A small part of the book was educational on what organic, biodynamic, natural wines are, how their produced, or what makes them unique. Just descriptions on a special $200 bottle from a family that’s been producing for generations. Ok book for a wine lover... just not what I expected.

El libro estaba un poco golpeado.

Condition and speed of delivery perfect

Excellent book but missing a number of pages and then has a number of pages double printed. Tried to contact publisher but no joy. Otherwise an excellent book.

Beautiful book. Excellent buy for anyone wanting to know more about Organic and Natural wines.

The section listing the wines/producers is good, however the section describing how organic, natural wines are produced is quite brief