It is really tough to find great certified organic wines, not to mention, great organic wines at affordable prices. But Cono Sur wines from Chile really deliver with crisp, multi-layered flavor and complexity that one would not expect from lower-priced wines. Although they are an import, the Cono Sur company has committed to high standards of organic farming methods and sustainable production practices like using lower weight glass for bottles and labels made of recycled paper printed with eco-friendly inks. The amazing video below (Spanish subtitled in English) shows the non-chemical methods used in the vineyards to thwart one particular type of pest, a beetle they call “el burrito.”

The Sauvingnon Blanc was reviewed by Sandra Silfven of The Detroit News, “A core of fragrant sweet grapefruit, grass, herbs and minerality — this is Sauvignon unlike Sonoma or Marlborough, New Zealand, or Bordeaux — it’s the best from Chile. The flavors dance on the palate and resonate on the finish. Grapes are organically grown in the San Antonio Valley. Note the back label: ‘A wine symbolized by a bicycle and ruled only by nature’s cycles.’ Workers ride bicycles to the winery and the vineyard — there are no carbon emissions from cars. The labels are made from recycled paper. This is the future of wine. Now.”

The Pinot Noir has a “complex and developed nose that is governed by sweet wild fruit aromas, where notes of cherries and berries are enhanced by slight toasty hints. This Pinot definitely has a personality of its own; it’s tasteful, with soft tannins and an excellent structure.”

The Manzanita Market currently carries Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc & Organic Pinot Noir and the wines are becoming so popular there are plans to carry more varieties very soon.