Château Fongaban

CHATEAU FONGABAN CASTILLON AOC BORDEAUX ORGANIC LCBO 479832, $16.95

From a well-established property in Bordeaux’s Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, this is a ripe and hearty blend of 82 percent Merlot and 12 percent Cabernet Franc. Medium-bodied and very approachable, it presents aromas of black cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant with a swirl of smoky, woodsy notes in the background. Great with roast beef!

Anxiety about mildew and rot in Bordeaux’s damp Atlantic climate used to discourage farmers from moving towards organic viticulture. Now the success recorded in hundreds of properties has switched the dynamic. Some experts predict that everyone in the region will be organic in 25 years and the reason is the quality of the fruit grown as much as concern about the risks of using pesticides both to the land and to those who work it.