A few days ago I was lucky enough to attend a dinner pairing local dishes with The Naked Grape wines (http://www.thenakedgrapewine.com/), a sustainable winery in California.
I hear the word sustainable a lot in the food world and it always gets the nod. As in, everyone nodding their head and generally murmuring "yes, yes...sustainable...very good." And it is. Don't get me wrong. But I wanted to hear a bit more about they were doing to be a sustainable winery and where the pricing of the wines would land.
It was a treat to have the winemaker, Hillary Stevens, there and she has a very obvious passion for what she does. She was able to tell me about using ladybugs to combat their aphids instead of pesticides and how they repurpose the water that naturally collects in their low lying areas for other uses around the vineyard. It started to make a great deal of sense to me what they were doing and why it is important. Of course, it still needed to taste good. Luckily, The Naked Grape wines are delicious and affordable at around $10 for any of the four varietals: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each has a unique flavor profile, but all are easy drinking and pair well with foods. One of my favorite pairings from the evening was the Pinot Noir with a seared duck breast and apple compote.
Although The Naked Grape only launched within the last year, I have already seen the label in several of my local go-to spots for wine. (In New Jersey, this can be anyplace from my local deli to a 50+ year old liquor store.) It feels good to know that I can make smart choices about not only what I eat, but what I drink.
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