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Red wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages, and yet it’s somewhat of an acquired taste. To the experienced red wine drinker, there aren’t many things in life as relaxing and calming as pouring yourself a glass of red wine. Furthermore, red wines make excellent companions to a variety of meals whether you are dining out or at home. Red wine is available at various price ranges and the subtle differences of flavor and the extensive vocabulary used to describe their flavor can be intimidating to the novice wine drinker. Regardless of the vintage, red wines are made from dark-skinned grapes. The wine is made in a multi-step process that includes grape processing, addition of additives (sulfur dioxide, enzymes, tannins), fermentation, and a few other steps.

Red wine is often praised for its health benefits. When drunk in moderation, red wine is thought to positively affect heart and cardiovascular health due to its antioxidants, such as resveratrol. Whether red wine is healthy for you or not is somewhat of a debatable issue, largely because the difference between moderation and excess can sometimes be a fine line and varies for everyone. Like any alcoholic beverage, red wine will negatively impact your health if you overindulge.

In the U.S. winemakers are not required to disclose the ingredients of the wine they produce since alcoholic beverages are not regulated by the FDA. Consequently, most wine bottles display very minimal if any information about what’s in the wine besides the alcohol by volume percentage. One of the few things that you can look out for to ensure that your wine is as healthy as possible is the USDA organic seal. A USDA organic wine will be made from organic grapes and other organic ingredients and without any prohibited substances such as excess sulfites (some sulfur dioxide is naturally occurring in wine, but additional sulfites are frequently added to non-organic wines).The winemaking process also must pass stringent regulations to comply with the USDA organic standard. Although organic wine has been increasing in popularity lately, it still is not nearly as prevalent and easy to find as non-organic wine. That is why we have compiled this list of the best USDA organic red wines in 2022.

Try These USDA Organic Red Wines

• 2020 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon by Frey Vineyards: This California-based brand is well known for making USDA organic wine. This cabernet sauvignon features flavors of chocolate and plum. The brand proudly supports environmental preservation and the vineyards are home to a honeybee sanctuary. If you prefer a different type of red wine, we encourage you to look further into Frey Vineyards.
• 2021 Premium Organic Merlot by Domaine Bousquet: Domaine Bousquet is one of the most prominent organic wine producers in the world. Based in Argentina, the winery was founded by the Bousquet family which has its roots in southern France. The 2021 vintage of their organic merlot is USDA organic and undoubtedly worth a try! It is a balanced wine with medium body and pairs perfectly with pasta and red meat.
• Spartico Tempranillo/Cabernet by Bodegas Iranzo: This USDA organic blend comes from Valencia in Spain.  It features a complex but well-balanced flavor. Like most red wines, it pairs excellently with grilled meat.
• 2021 Certified Organic Cabernet Sauvignon by Badger Mountain Organic Winery: This USDA organic cabernet was released in January 2022. It has a slightly acidic and yet balanced complex flavor. This winery is based in Washington state and was founded in 1982. The company has been making USDA-certified organic wine since 1990.

Our Closing Thoughts

Red wine can be a delightful beverage for many situations. Whether it is organic or not, wine drinkers can agree that a good red wine should taste good, and be balanced without too much acidity or other harsh flavors. A good wine also carries distinctive features that reflect on the location from which it was made. Drinking red wine in moderation can be a healthy habit, even more so if the wine is organic.  An organic wine is not just made from organic grapes. The entire winemaking process must meet organic standards. Thankfully it’s never been easier to find USDA-certified organic red wine. We hope that our list of organic red wines will give you ideas for where to start.  

Do you have a favorite organic wine that didn’t make our list? Let us know by leaving a comment or contacting us here.