Organic wine in its European sanctuary, Millésime Bio. In France, the world’s largest organic fair turns 30, in Montpellier from January 30 to February 1, 2013. «We are proud to participate again this time, as usual», announces the Marchisio Family, standard-bearer of “green” wine in the Roero. A production of excellence, organic and biodynamic. «In Montpellier», explains Fabio Marchisio, «we meet wine lovers, wine professionals and international importers. A valuable opportunity, to be known and appreciated».
Even in Languedoc, the Marchisio family knows they always make a good impression. In their cellar in Castellinaldo d’Alba, exquisite, ultra-natural wines stand out. On the podium, the classic method bubbles: Arneis and Nebbiolo, even ten years on the lees. Then the first Nebbiolo in amphora in history, Valmaggiore. And the latest happy experiments, again in amphora, from Pinot Noir to Riesling. Until the Roero Arneis vinified in ceramic. Pure heresy: «An even softer white, capable of challenging the reds in longevity».
Millésime Bio’s experience certifies the boom of organic, which has tripled its numbers in recent years. A craft fair, the French one started quietly in 1993. The first to believe in it were the producers of Occitania (Languedoc-Roussillon) with their vineyards a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean. Now, hundreds of elite exhibitors confirm the value of a forward-looking challenge: renouncing chemistry preserves soils and guarantees superior wines.
«A choice that we at the Marchisio Family espoused many years ago», recalls Sergio Marchisio, a pioneer of super-natural viticulture faithful to the dictates of Rudolf Steiner. «It’s really a mathematical equation», Sergio explains: «Green techniques help the soil recover fertility, reinvigorating the vines. And so, year after year, our wines themselves are affected: increasingly intense, deep and fragrant, rich in nuances that come directly from the moods of the season, without tricks». The news? Consumers have also learned the lesson: that organic wine, by now, they demand it.
