Cabran has gone organic… Will I still like it?

Some of you have been enjoying Cabran wine for many years and may be wondering whether you’ll still like it now that it’s organic. Others might just as legitimately hope that it’s (even!) better today.

Do organic wines taste different from conventional wines?  

This is a question that divides wine tasters, producers and the scientific community. It is true that organic farming prohibits the use of pesticides and limits chemical inputs, starting with sulphites. One might therefore imagine that organic wine tastes more ‘natural’, or perhaps even fruitier… But in practice, studies are divided. Whilst one survey suggests that the majority of tasters preferred organic wines, another indicates that even oenologists were unable to tell the difference. To our knowledge, however, no serious, recent study has shown that organic wines are less appreciated than others.

But let’s get back to Cabran. We have been following the organic farming specifications for four years now. If you have had the chance to taste any of our vintages from 2019 onwards, you will have noticed any changes in the taste and aroma of our wines. Furthermore, we have drastically limited the use of sulphites during winemaking for many years. Since 2015, our wines have had sulphite levels lower than those permitted by the Organic label, as well as by Demeter (the biodynamic label).  

The winemaker’s view (and his sister’s)

No fanfare, just a post on social media and soon the label that will need to find a spot on our labels, between the pregnant woman and the alcohol content… For Renaud, the switch to organic seems almost trivial.

He thinks the 2024 harvest is lovely but decidedly too small. Is it the organic farming’s fault? No, it’s always like that in Cabran: the soil is rich but dry, the wild boars are fearless, the vines venerable—a guarantee of quality rather than quantity… As for the rest, he’s ploughed his land as he always does to bring earthworms and nutrients to the surface. As usual, he has let the grass grow freely in every other row to retain moisture and save water. The organic label is good – not an end in itself, but it is good.  

As his sister, I want to shout from the rooftops that we’re organic! Yet when people ask me if it makes any difference to the taste, I have to admit I haven’t noticed a thing… We’ll let you make up your own mind. In the meantime, well done Renaud, well done Guillaume – that’s it, we’re officially organic!