“When I started looking into organic wine, it was just perfect for me,” Arnold says. “It fell right in line with everything I believed in, and here was this niche that was completely un-nurtured and underdeveloped.”

– Palm Springs Life Magazine

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Since establishing Organicwineexchange.com in 2013, proprietor Ann Arnold has curated a one-stop online shop for certified organic, biodynamic, sustainable, non-GMO, no-sulfites-added, gluten-free and vegan wines.

– Market Watch Magazine

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I’m honored to announce that this month commemorates our family’s 80th year in the retail wine business.

In February 1938, Morry Rabin took the leap of faith and opened up a neighborhood liquor store in Long Beach, CA, catering to the local wine drinkers during an otherwise non-wine drinking era.

To put this into prospective, Napa wasn’t even on the map as a fine wine destination and prohibition ended just 5 years prior. Thus, most of the wines available at the time were coming from oversees.

Every day I am reminded of my family history. While it has become my own passion to support organic vineyards, I feel my grandfather Morry would stand beside me if he was still around to see the industry today.

Sometimes I wonder what he would think if he saw his youngest granddaughter carving her own path in wine industry, or what his thoughts would be if he ever experienced the concept of online sales, or if he would be surprised to find out what the wine industry has evolved into.

These thoughts are endless, but one that strikes me the most is that we both decided to choose avenues that were not mainstream when we first started our wine journey. Wine was not the drink of choice in 1938 but he was part of that change. For me, wines made from “organic grapes” were not the chosen wines, but now I can proudly say that I am part of that change as well

I’d like to share this moment with all the other entrepreneurs in the world that are brave enough share something off the beaten path and to the people who have helped carve the path before us!

And to help celebrate with us…

Only pay 80% of your bill!
It’s your celebration too, so for the rest of the month get 20% off any order over $100.
Use code HAPPY80TH (expires 3/1)

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Printed article in Going Organic Magazine – Winter 2015

The post Treating the Farm as a Total Living Organism appeared first on Organic Wine Exchange.

  Printed article in Going Organic Magazine – Fall 2014

The post Are There GMO’s In My Wine? appeared first on Organic Wine Exchange.

By Examiner.com  | June 23rd, 2014

As we are onto the summer season in the desert, we know of a few great eateries that will be closing down for the respite.

Copley’s on Palm Canyon Restaurant and Bar is still open for the next couple of weeks but will be on their annual summer hiatus until August 29th. Fortunately, Copley’s celebrated with a final wine-pairing dinner featuring the wines from the portfolio of the Organic Wine Exchange. Four fabulous wines—produced from organically grown grapes, were superbly paired to the most inventive fare at the hands of celebrated Executive Chef Andrew Copley.

And before we delve into some of the highlights of the evening, if you haven’t taken the opportunity to have dined at Copley’s recently, do yourself a wonderful favor and treat you and yours to the excellence of Chef Andrew’s cuisine before they take their summer break after the July 4th weekend. The dinner setting is romantic, relaxing, and the property, located in part of the former Cary Grant estate, is really beautiful.

We recently wrote about the Organic Wine Exchange and owner Annie Arnold’s quest to enlighten our wine community to truths of enjoying pesticide, insecticide, and fungicide free wine. At this Copley event, Annie spoke about the benefits of drinking organic and bio-dynamic wines and she spoke specifically of the four wines poured as they were served.

Although this Copley dinner was considered a special wine-pairing event, the four organic wines matched to the four course dinner are on the Copley’s wine list for your quaffing pleasure.

The dinner began with a Chilled Asparagus & Caramelized Fennel Soup with Maine Lobster & Braised Split Peas. A fun refreshing and tasty soup beautifully presented. All of the flavors melded wonderfully, and equally refreshing was the chilled 2012 Biokult Gruner Veltliner, an Austrian varietal that’s on par with German Riesling.Bright citrus fruit aromas alongside green apple and lime-zest that followed into the palate with muted herbal and peppery spice notes. Light-bodied, crisp with refreshing acidity. It definitely rates as one of the wines of summer. 100% Certified Organic.

The second course was Cold Smoked Pan Seared Scottish Salmon Over Citrus Scented Organic Quinoa with Herbs & Golden Raisins, and Chardonnay Butter. One of Chef Andrew specialties is perfectly prepared fish. And as you just read, it was wonderfully seasoned. The dish was paired with a Mendocino Chardonnay, 2011 Terra Savia from the Sanel Valley. Another refreshing wine, its un-oaked and bright but carries a nice richness.

Next we had the Tandoori Spiced Colorado Rack of Lamb Over Cilantro Scented Cous Cous, Saffron Braised Organic Cauliflower, Sweet Peas, and Sweet Garlic Merlot Reduction. This was the best tasting lamb I’ve had all year. The Tandoori preparation was inventive and stellar on the lamb. The 2011 Chacewater Merlot was perfect with its soft and round layers of black cherry, vanilla, and notable earthy tones. A finish of toasty oak, juicy tannins and ripe fruit.

For dessert we enjoyed the Chocolate Hazelnut Bar Tarragon Ice Cream, and Chocolate Anglaise that was matched with another Chacewater wine. This time a 2011 Zinfandel where the wine’s dark fruit played more of a complex foil to the sweets as opposed to showcasing the usual sweet wine.

As we’ve come to expect, the evening was a delight with really fun company at the table.

While chatting with co-owner, restaurant manager, and all-around-wine-guy, Greg Butterfield, he came up with some nice summertime plates to match some nice summertime wines to get in on before the summer break.

For appetizers, Greg recommends matching the Blue Cheese Stuffed Local Dates with a glass of 2012 Jadot “Steel” Chardonnay. That food and wine combo is just a flavor party.

For an entrée, Greg recommends the Pan Roasted Australian Barramundi along with the 2011 Hess Chardonnay. It’s a classic pairing and a great time this season to enjoy the match-up.

For a nice red wine pairing, Greg suggested the Prosciutto Wrapped Duck Breast along with the 2012 Parker Station Pinot Noir from Fess Parker. Everything works with this coupling. As you can tell, the meal has great savors and the wine—which is medium-bodied—is great for this time of year. It shows bright cherries and currants on the nose, along with some red flowers and cinnamon-spice. A taste of tangy red berries, black cherries with fresh acidity. And a nice treat of mocha on the finish.

Bon Appétit & Cheers!

Rick Riozza is the Wine Steward at Pavilions of Rancho Mirage and wittily titles himself the “sommelier-about-town” in the desert publication CV Weekly wine and food column: the Vino Voice where his beat is to eat, drink, and cover the environs of Palm Springs. A freelance writer, a contributor to Tasting Panel Magazine, palmspringslife.com and the Brand Ambassador for the historic Galleano Winery, you can find him conducting wine tastings, food & wine pairing events and fun wine seminars. Contact winespectrum@aol.com

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By Jennifer Dent | August 5th, 2014

Organic, organic, organic.

Yes, you know you should eat organic food, but what about drinking organic wine?

I didn’t really have much knowledge on this topic so I reached out to Ann Rabin Arnold, founder of  Organic Wine Exchange.  Jumping at a chance to educate people on the benefits of organic wine, she graciously agreed to answer my questions. Enjoy reading Ann’s informative interview about organic wine.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THE ORGANIC WINE EXCHANGE?

Organic Wine Exchange started with a passion for wine that began with my grandfather in 1938.  When I decided to venture into my own business and find wineries to represent on-line I realized that not only was my passion for organic wines under represented in the retail world, but so were the wineries and winemakers.  I felt compelled to help tell their story and sell their wines in order for them to prosper for years to come.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT ORGANIC WINE VERSUS NON-ORGANIC WINE?

The important thing to know is that both of these types are Pesticides, Herbicide and Fungicides free, whereas the non-organic counterparts use these chemicals in the vineyard.  This is what most consumers want to avoid when they are reaching for a product that is certified organic.

There is also a long list of chemical additives that can be added to wine to alter the taste, texture, color, aroma and more.   Currently it is not required to list these additives on and ingredient section on the label as the food industry is required to do.  This is where a lot of consumer confusion comes into play, as most label conscious readers assume that their wine is only made of fermented grapes.  Unfortunately, this is far from the truth.

HOW CAN WE TELL IF A WINE IS ORGANIC?

It is not as simple and one may like it to be.  The first thing to learn is that the there is more to the world of organic wine than “Organic” and “Non-organic”.  There is also a “Made with Organic Grapes” category.  The main reason for this distinction is that the final product is a two-step process:  Grape Growing and Wine Making.

Organic Wine: This means that the winery is certified in the vineyard AND the winery.  When a wine is certified in the winery, then they have not added sulfites to their wine, and have less then 10ppm (parts per million) in naturally occurring sulfites.  A certified organic wine has the round USDA symbol on it.

Made with Organic Grapes:  Essentially, it is made with not synthetic vineyard chemicals.  The same standards as organic fruit and vegetables you purchase in the market. This category does not get a symbol but it gets the USDA approved terminology “Made with Organic Grapes”.  It is usually in very small print on the front or back of the label according to TTB standards.  In Europe they allow wines to have up to 100ppm sulfites and still be called “Organic Wine”.  However when their wines come to the U.S. they have to change the label to “Made with Organic Grapes” which allows up to 100ppm sulfites.

Both categories are certified in the vineyard by a 3^rd party agency.  Each state and/or country has its own certifying agency.  For example, In California a vineyard is often certified CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), in Oregon it’s Organic Tilth, in Europe there is EcoCert, EU Organic, Agriculture Biologique and the list goes on.  For reassurance, many of these certification logos will be on the back wine label.

After a vineyard and winery has passed the certification process they present it to the USDA and per the specifications above they will be allowed to put the USDA symbol or the “Made with Organic Grapes” term on their label.

There is another certification offered by “Demeter” which certifies a vineyard and/or winery “Biodynamic”.  It is another very trustworthy way to purchase a wine free of vineyard chemicals.

Read more here.

ORGANIC WINE ISN’T READILY AVAILABLE IN ALL AREAS. HOW CAN WE GET IT?

Organic Wine Exchange was developed to fill this niche.  We discovered that most grocery and wine stores did not have organic sections.  Those that did where usually the stores focused on organic foods.  We also noticed that even the organic foods based stores only carried a few varietals of a particular brand, as they did not have the shelf space to carry more.   At Organic Wine Exchange we find producers we believe in, then represent their entire line up.  Every few months we continue to add more wines.

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE BUDGET WINE REPORTEDLY HAVE HARMFUL ADDITIVES. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT?

Additives come in all forms. Just as many food items add chemical components to enhance flavor, aroma, color and texture, so can wine.  The only difference is that wine and other alcoholic beverages do not have to label it.   Many wineries fear that the list of additives, especially those that are non harmful but have intimidating names may turn consumers off from buying their products.  An argument against this is that there are many very unfamiliar names on the ingredient lists of foods and it does not stop people from buying those foods.  Additionally, if a truly concerned label reader wanted to, they could take the time to find out that some of these additives are harmless.  It’s all about disclosing information to the public and giving them the chance to make their own educated decision.

The good news is that even organic wines can be budget friendly.  Organic Wine Exchange has over 20 wines in the $9-15 dollar range.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH SULFITES?

Sulfites get a bad rap because they are the only thing people can intelligently read on the label.  However they are not the main culprit to consumer’s aliments when drinking wine.

One of the reasons sulfites are on the label is because there are people who are deathly allergic to them.  People who are allergic to sulfites have similar reactions to people who are allergic to peanuts (hives or extreme breathing problems).  There are some people who have sensitivities and who will get mild versions of these symptoms.

Unfortunately, wines do not have to state how many sulfites they put into their wine.  You will notice that wines do not have a Nutrition Facts label to list the “Parts per Million” (ppm) of sulfites used like they list fats, sugar, sodium, calories, etc. on food.   The only text you will see is: “Contains Sulfites” or “No Added Sulfites”.

When used in reasonable amounts sulfites are the least of things to worry about. Typically, adverse reactions to wine come from the vineyard chemicals, winemaking additives or histamines in the red grape skin.

Wine is not the only product that contains sulfites.  You will be surprised how many food and medications contain them too.  If you are still not convinced about sulfites, try eating a dried fruit such as dried or canned fruits or veggies or take note if you get allergic reactions to any of the foods on this list.  If you are able to consume these products and medications with ease then most likely you are not allergic to sulfites.

More and more people are becoming intolerant to wines these days just as they are to many food products.  This is a wake up call and should send a clear message to those wine consumers that are developing new allergies and find that they can no longer drink wines symptom free, when in the past they had no problems with wine.

Sulfite Guide:

Organic Wine:  No Sulfites Added

Made with Organic Grapes:  up to 100 ppm

Non-Organic Wine:  up to 350ppm

(Note: this does not mean the respective categories use the entire allowance)

ORGANIC WINE EXCHANGE IS A SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS COMPANY. TELL US ABOUT YOUR MISSION TO GIVE BACK.

We decided that giving back to the community was going to be part of Organic Wine Exchange business model from the beginning.  From my accumulation of 76 years of family history in the wine business, I noticed how much a wine played an active roll in charitable fundraising.  Most fundraising events include wine sales or wine as part of the ticket price.  Our goal is to help these agencies raise as much money as possible for their cause.

FUN FACT! WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WINE AND FOOD PAIRING?

Zinfandels are probably one of my favorites wines because they are so versatile.  They are big and jammy and range from having bold fruit flavors like boysenberry and currants to being spicy and peppery at the same time.  I enjoy them with a large assortment of grilled meats, aged cheeses and often like them with nice dark chocolate deserts too.

Thank you Ann for shedding some light on the murky topic of organic vs. non-organic wine.

The post Organic Wine 101 appeared first on Organic Wine Exchange.

By Coachella Valley Weekly | May 14, 2014 at 11:01 pm | 

By Rick Riozza

In theological circles, the debate still rages on whether sinful man has the honest free will to choose to love a Holy God—or is it God who does the choosing first. On a much lighter note, there is no question that we have free-volition to decide or not, what wine to drink tonight: one made with organically grown grapes or not.

But of course, what was I thinking. Actually, I was thinking of meeting Annie Arnold, owner of the Organic Wine Exchange, over at some Mexican restaurant to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Marguerita or a Michelada. Instead, we met up over at the Palm Greens Café which is a well-loved eatery known for their organic cuisine and great veggie fare. The menu there looks terrific!

We laughed about making it a very healthy Cinco de Mayo—we’d take a rain- check on Mexican stuff at a later date—and then quickly decided to enjoy a delightful Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. The wine was quite delicious and was a perfect thirst quencher for the hot day. And, it was made from organically grown grapes. No pesticides, insecticides, nor fungicides nor other toxic stuff would be interfering with our quaffing.

Call if a quiet conundrum, if you will, where so many foodies, vegans, and intelligent healthy eaters simply disregard and/or neglect the same well-being standards from their beverage, especially wine.

The last time I was up in the modish Marin County, I was invited to a lovely patio dinner party. The hosts were absolutely gracious and they were very proud to causally (and to continue to) inform us guests that everything in this banquet was organically grown and sustainably raised. No pesticides and no growth hormones here!

And just as impressive—as would any upstanding Marin resident provide—was the wonderful array of Napa and Sonoma county wines available for our meal. Without any agenda on my part—just simple conversation, I causally asked the hosts if, also, the wine on the table was made with organically grown grapes. If looks could kill! And I guess that meant—“no”. But it sure took the immodest wind out of their sails. You could see it throughout the dinner—and hey, I felt bad too for bringing it up—so I laid it on thick with how tasty the wine was.

But the reason they felt a little guilty was that they apparently knew that wine grapes are often and continually the victims of pesticide and insecticide spraying—the bad stuff that tags along in the wine making progress. But they conveniently and rather paradoxically let that info go from their minds and just focus on produce and meats.

What this confirms, is that “Beverages are off the radar when it comes to organics,” says Annie. “The beverage industry is definitely forgotten … people aren’t concentrating on it.”

Annie Arnold took her family’s wine and liquor store online in 2010, where she set her focus on organic wines to establish a mark in the wine trade and to become the herald for healthy and intelligent wine consumption. In creating this niche, most of the wineries that Arnold represents has a natural element to them, with many of them pursuing more sustainable and organic practices.

One of the predominant roles that Organic Wine Exchange participates in is education. “That’s why “exchange” is in the title of the company. We have a really important exchange of ideas, attitudes and facts surrounding this huge and important issue of healthy consumption.

Just like all the information that was finally disseminated on organic and sustainable foods & farming helped to fuel the food revolution, Annie is looking to the Organic Wine Exchange efforts to help educate consumers and stimulate the “organics” conversation in the wine industry. For Arnold, it’s about making an intelligent choice.

As I’ve written in articles before, the subject of organic wines is huge. It is no longer the wine topic of the future—it is now and forever.You know, organic wine was forever back in the day. In Biblical times, in the Middle Ages, and for so long in wine consumption history, man has been enjoying natural biodynamic wine. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson loved their French organic wines.

But as “progress” would have it, “better life through chemistry” became the slogan and it was no secretthat many farmers and vintners use pesticides, herbicides or fungicides to rid their farms of pests, mold and other unwanted problems.

In my discussion with wine lovers, they are all up with the idea of “organic wine” but they seem to treat them as another type of varietal on the market. They will now add “Organic Wine” to their mental list of wines to know, such as Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Grigio and the like. They have yet to have the mindset that every varietal on earth can be organically grown.

For those who already eat organically, you might want to try going organic with your wine, however, current wine labeling laws make it difficult to determine the wine’s contents. There are a lot of terms out there: natural wine, biodynamic, sustainably-produced, and of course, organic. At the Organic Wine Exchange, Annie is able to offer hundreds of wines to consumers and give them the resources they want to learn more about the organic wine industry. OrganicWineExhange.com, 949.945.7083

We’ll continue to discuss “organics” in up-coming articles—so stay tuned.

Look for some of Annie’s selection of wine in the Organic Wine section at Go Deli Market in Palm Springs. And you’ll find many of her wines on the menu at Copleys, Dish, Johannes, 3rd Corner Bistro, Lulu & Aqua Pazza, Si Bon as well as many other fine eateries.

Cheers!

The post Coachella Valley Weekly appeared first on Organic Wine Exchange.

Foot Path Winery in Temecula offers a variety of red wines. Although the wines are not considered organic, they are grown with organic grapes. / Beth Roessner/The Desert Sun

Like choosing between an organic apple or a conventionally grown one, the same decision can be made with wine.

Familiar with the wine industry, Annie Arnold created a business dedicated to informing consumers about organic wine and connecting them to the suppliers and farmers.

“Beverages are off the radar when it comes to organics,” said Arnold, owner of Organic Wine Exchange.

Just like the information that is helping fuel the food revolution, Arnold is hoping efforts to help educate consumers will help stimulate the organics conversation in the wine industry. For Arnold, it’s about choice.

“The beverage industry is definitely forgotten,” said Arnold. “People aren’t concentrating on it.”

Arnold took her family’s wine and liquor store online in 2010, and opted to focus on organic wines to differentiate herself from competition. In creating this niche, most of the wineries that Arnold wanted to represent had a natural element to them, with many of them pursuing more sustainable and organic practices.

“After being in the wine industry for years, I knew very little about organics,” said Arnold. “I didn’t even know about organics in wine.”

There were blogs and a few reference sites on organic wines, but no one place that sold them via the Internet. Several local markets, including Clark’s in Rancho Mirage, have a variety of organic and made-with-organic-grape wines. Clark’s has nearly 50 varieties, said assistant store manager, Rami Shahin.

“If you’re going to have an organic diet, you might as well keep everything organic,” said Shahin.

Organic Wine Exchange is able to offer hundreds of wines to consumers and give them the resources they want to learn more about the organic wine industry.

Wine is on a fine line between food and beverage, explained Arnold, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, not the FDA. Because of this, listing every single ingredient is not required by law. It can be tricky to label wines in general, because many of the ingredients that are put in do not come out in the end.

To be considered a fully organic wine, the grapes must be organic in both the vineyard and the winery, meaning no pesticides are used on the vines and no sulfites are used during winemaking. Wineries at this level can be certified organic by the USDA and are only allowed 10 parts-per-million of naturally occurring sulfites.

“Sulfites are a natural byproduct of fermentation,” said Andew Kleiner, owner and winemaker at Lumière Winery in Temecula. “Even an organic wine would have sulfites, but they’re not added.”

Winemakers can also opt to make wines with organic grapes and can add up to 100 ppm of sulfites to the wine, said Arnold.

“In a lot of made-with-organic-grape categories, they are so attentive to their grapes in the vineyard they have little to no reason to add a ton of additives or sulfer in the winemaking process,” Arnold said. “They just add what’s needed.”

Biodynamic wines “are a little bit more organic than organic,” said Arnold. In this process, the farm is treated as one living organism and the farmers are conscious of all preparations. Some farmers create their own compost or let the lunar cycle guide when vines are planted or harvested.

“They follow a very natural rhythm of the earth’s cycle,” said Arnold.

“Contains sulfites” is a phrase found on so many bottles of wine, but so often the term is misunderstood. “Sulfites” is a catch-all term for sulfer dioxide, and the compounds are often used as a preservative in winemaking because of their antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

The maximum permitted levels of sulfites change depending on the style of wine.

A wine without added sulfites does not have as long of a shelf life and isn’t considered as stable as its conventionally processed counterparts. The addition of sulfites, said Kleiner, is dependent on the pH balance of the wine. The pH balance readily changes and the higher the levels, the more sulfites are needed.

Kleiner elects not to spray his fields with chemicals and noted that some vineyards do use a sulfer-based spray as a pesticide and to help combat mildew.

In the winery, Kleiner is a firm believer in using sulfites to help stabilize the wine and prolong the shelf life. But too many additional sulfites can transform the taste, Kleiner said.

Grapes naturally change flavor each vintage. Factors like rainfall or where the wine is produced can alter the taste of a grape varietal. Organic winemakers allow their wine to show these unique profiles by omitting the additives used by commercial producers and to help ensure that their wine reflects the best and most natural qualities from the vineyard.

Deane Foote’s winery, Foot Path Winery, blossomed out of his interest for red wine. Nestled in Temecula’s wine country, Foote’s organic grape vines share the land with his organic citrus orchard and other plants. Growing organic grapes, he said, was driven by his citrus.

“The only way for the farm to make money was to be certified organic,” said Foote. The original property did not have vines, so when they were planted, it was easier to have the entire farm be organic. Foote prefers beneficial bugs to using pesticides.

Foot Path wines are not organic, but they are made with organic grapes. The farm was certified organic in 2002, three years after he bought the property. Foote chooses to use one sulfite to help preserve his wines. He grows Cabernet, Merlot, sirah, Cabernet franc, malbec, petit bordeaux and zinfandel grapes.

“My winemaking style is probably different from everyone else’s in that I don’t like to play with the wine,” said Foote. “I don’t add a bunch of junk to it.”

Original Printed Article in the Desert Sun Newspaper (Food and Drink Section)- Feb. 19, 2014
Written by Beth Roessner

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    Published in Going Organic Magazine – Winter 2014

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