Where’s your green wine? And, I don’t mean “Honey, when are we going on vacation” kind of whine. I’m talking the gift of the grape, the nectar of the gods, the fermented juice of merlot and cabernet, just to name a few. Archeologists have found evidence of wine making from as early as 7,000 BC. Nearly every ancient culture celebrated the grape and had gods or goddesses of wine. The Greeks had Dionysos the great Olympian god of wine and festivity. The Roman goddess Meditrina, daughter of Apollo, was not only the deity of wine, but also of longevity and health; as if they are all connected. The Egyptian goddess Geshtinana literally translates as “the heavenly grapevine”. It’s believed that the making of wine was so important that the pyramids often served as makeshift wine cellars. Wine served as metaphoric bookends for even the life of Jesus. His first miracle was turning water into wine. And, the Last Supper lifted wine to the status of an elixir for communion.

Unfortunately, the wine-making secrets and splendor of old that led men and women to raise their glasses of the grape and lift their spirits in the process, have all but vanished, being replaced by modern mechanized farming methods. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers have replaced dark rich fertile soil that lends its subtle flavors to the berries of the vine. But alas, all is not lost and salvation is at hand. A growing number of wine makers and wineries are going organic. They are making wines that carefully allow only the same natural ingredients and properties as those of times past. A bottle of wine with a certified organic label assures you that no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are in the way of you enjoying the grape the way Mother Nature intended.

We vote by our dollars with every purchase large or small. Seeking out organic and even biodynamic wines from sustainable wineries is the easiest way to green your wine purchase and create a larger market for earth-friendly products. If you’re one who gives away wine for holiday gifts, supporting organic wineries is a great way to show you care for your family and friends as well as our planet. And, in case you’re wondering what my favorite wine is? It’s a tie between Bonterra and Fetzer wineries. Cheers to your health.

Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages. – Louis Pasteur