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, and the quality of these wines, although more environmentally friendly, did not match that of the best traditional red wines.

However, more recently, with the conversion of a large number of winegrowers to organic farming, and after years of experimentation and learning, new 100% organic vineyards have emerged, and production quality has improved year after year, to the great delight of modern wine lovers, who are as attracted by quality wines as they are concerned about environmental issues.

This is particularly true of Gérard Bertrand, winegrower, entrepreneur and visionary, who has successfully combined his passion for wine and French art de vivre with deep ecological convictions. For over 20 years, this winegrower's son has developed a whole range of quality organic and biodynamic red wines, including the cuvées of Château l'Hospitalet and Domaine de Cigalus. 

Explore all our organic red wines and Gérard Bertrand wine collections.

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

Differences in the production method

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

The entire winemaking process therefore complies with European AB certification. This certification covers both vine-growing and viticulture, as well as winemaking. All inputs used in the vineyard, such as fertilisers, and products used during winemaking are themselves organically certified.

Chemical fertilisers and other pesticides are, of course, prohibited in the production of an organic red wine or the best red wine. Unlike a traditional red wine, an organic red wine offers consumers guarantees of strict compliance with an environmentally friendly winemaking method, which is more respectful of flora and fauna.

Differences in tasting

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

First of all, an organic red wine is more delicate than a traditional red wine and must be cared for in order to reveal its full flavour potential. This fragility is notably due to a much lower use of sulphites (sulphur).

Organic wine is therefore easier to digest and better for your health. In return, particular care is needed to enjoy all its tasting characteristics. An organic red wine needs to be opened one or two hours before tasting.

When tasting, organic red wines offer greater finesse, with a well-balanced interplay of tannins, fruit and alcohol. Organic red wines also generally have a lower alcohol content. With greater 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

Also discover:

The rosé wine or the best rosé wine

The orange wine

And to discover the world and wines of Gérard Bertrand:

Its Languedoc-Roussillon wine estates

The Gérard Bertrand family history and its expertise

The biodynamics

Or to contact us