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 Taste of Italy Houston 2022 trade fair, Italian wine educator Jeremy Parzen moderated a discussion on “Ethical Wine: An Alternate Path.”
He was joined by Steven McDonald MS, wine director of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston and one of the city’s top tasters, and wine writer Dale Robertson, author of Sporty Wine Guy and former wine columnist for the Houston Chronicle.
Steven guided attendees through a technical tasting of the wines using the methodology developed for the Court of Master Sommeliers blind tasting exam.
The organizers also hoped that Steven would share one of his wine-themed raps!
With the growing interest in organically farmed wines, consumers have become increasingly enthusiastic about buying and drinking organically certified wines.
However, many wine lovers have not realized that organic farming—depending on where and how it is managed—can actually be harmful to the environment and to the communities living near estates where “organic” wine grapes are grown. Another lesser-known aspect is that even when the grapes are farmed organically, the vinification process may still include synthetic additives that few would consider “organic.” Finally, the financial burden of organic farming can be so overwhelming that many wineries simply cannot afford the farming costs themselves, let alone the certification process.
At that point, many winemakers and grape growers across Italy and Europe began looking for alternative, “sustainable” approaches to grape growing and winemaking. In this context, the organizers of Taste of Italy invited two leading Umbrian wineries to present “ethically” farmed wines that reflected an overarching approach to sustainability balanced by quality. Although both wineries employed organic and biodynamic practices, neither was certified, and neither followed the restrictive precepts of organic and biodynamic viticulture strictly. The result was a selection of high-quality wines that helped support the health and well-being of the communities where they were produced.