Oxnard, CA, July 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While organic wines with no sulfites added (NSA) have become one of the fastest growing segments of the wine industry, competition judges have been slower to warm to them than the consumers have. Often looked at as lacking in shelf life from the reduced sulfites or as not being able to stand up to the structure and complexity of traditionally-made wines, organic NSA wines have faced a steep hill to climb in open competition. That’s why Herzog is proud to announce that their Be-Leaf organically farmed, NSA cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles has received a Gold medal and a rating of 92 from the acclaimed International Women’s Wine Competition in Sonoma against all entrants. Amongst the hundreds of wines, it was the only one in the entire competition that was certified organic and without added sulfites to even place, let alone garner the gold. It also received a 92 Gold at the exclusive Critics Challenge in San Diego, again going up against a field comprised primarily of traditionally made wines.
Be-Leaf, meticulously curated from vine to wine by Herzog winemaker Alicia Wilbur, has taken several vintages to reach its current form. But the effort was well worth it. She explains, “Over the course of several harvest seasons we’ve come to learn so much about this beautiful organic vineyard location and its potential. It’s a harmonious relationship between the grower, the land, the grapes, and how we approach the winemaking; each harvest, we adjust our winemaking techniques to match the site in real time.”
And while Be-Leaf has truly developed into a very special and high quality wine, vintages still in the aging process show incredible promise for future releases. “We learn something new every year. The technical data from the vineyard is really exciting and reinforces the intuitive and artistic philosophy/process I have with regards to the winemaking. Using analysis from the site to influence cellar decisions is paying off in terms of phenolic extraction and integration in the wine, making for a balanced and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Be-Leaf is just the beginning for Herzog, a winery dedicated to sustainable farming and responsible production processes. Be-Leaf is available nationwide or at herzogwine.com.
ABOUT HERZOG WINE CELLARS
Great grapes make great wine, which is why our philosophy is simple: “Let the grapes speak for themselves.” Each grape has a story to tell, and we believe truly great winemaking gives language to that story.
Attachments
