Find this sleek merlot in the organic wine aisle

Grapes for value-oriented wines are cultivated quite differently from those destined to become superpremium luxury wine. Just as supermarket tomatoes are farmed differently than the organic heirloom varieties found at the farmer’s market, both sets of growers have different goals and therefore different strategies in terms of managing crop volume and agricultural philosophy. Vintners aiming to produce affordable wines must operate at maximum efficiency in order to keep their pricing competitive, which typically requires at least some reliance on conventional farming interventions like fertilizers and fungicides, herbicides and pesticides. There are some regions where the natural environment makes it possible to farm organically on a grand scale at very low cost, as is the case with the coastal valleys of Chile where this wine is made.

Chile’s unique geography and climate create near-ideal conditions in the key months of the growing season; an extended period of ultralow humidity suppresses insect pests and fungal diseases. That’s why it’s no surprise that the world’s largest organic winery is located in Chile. Emiliana Organic Vineyards controls over 3,000 acres of certified organic vineyard land. This sleek merlot in the Natura brand line is a great example of how Emiliana’s focus on growing great fruit has helped the company democratize the organic wine aisle. Loaded with flavors like red raspberry and black plum, this wine features food-friendly scents that evoke Mediterranean cuisine, such as roasted red peppers, black olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.

$11.49; 13.6% alcohol

PLCB Item #6020

Sale price through April 30 — regularly $13.49

Also available at these N.J. shops: Hopewell Super Buy Rite in Pennington, $11.99, buyrite.wine; Joe Canal’s in Marlton, $11.99, marltonjoecanals.com; and Wine Warehouse in Voorhees, $12.48, voorhees.winewarehousenj.com.