Organic Wine: André Mack Proves Wine Isn't For Elite Only

André Mack runs the organic wine company Mouton Noir. The company launched in 2007, following years spent pursuing a love for wine that led to acclaim for his work as a sommelier (even being named Young Sommelier of the Year by Chaine des Rotisseurs) at the likes of spots including Per Se in New York.

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Noticing the magnificence of wines produced at small vineyards, Mack stepped into entrepreneurship and into greater success producing a line of classics that have caught the attention of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Food & Wine.  You can find Mouton Noir at restaurants across the country and catch Mack and his wines on an upcoming February episode of the new ABC cooking competition reality show “The Taste,” which is helmed by notable culinary judges Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre and Brian Malarkey. But you may just want to order your first bottle online and show off your eco-chic and support for black-owned businesses with a bottle of O.P.P. (Other People’s Pinot) and a stylish Mouton Noir hoodie.  Stay connected to Mouton Noir on Twitter!

HelloBeautiful: How do you define eco-chic living?

André Mack: Making conscious aesthetic choices using sustainability (environmental, health, etc) as crucial criteria.

HB: Tell us about Mouton Noir. How did you decide which blends to produce?

AM: Mouton Noir Wines specializes in small production Pinot Noir from Oregon. We also produce what I like to call our “everyday luxury” wines:  Knock On Wood (Chardonnay), Love Drunk (Rosé), and Other People’s Pinot (Pinot Noir). Pinot Noir reigns supreme in Oregon, so it makes sense that it forms the core of our production. Complementing the Pinot Noir is our Chardonnay, which also benefits from a cool climate. And pink wine is just fun. Our fruit receives only the minimal required treatments and yields are dramatically reduced in order to give the wines great depth and complexity.

HB: How did you get into producing organic wines?

AM:  My first encounter with wine came as a waiter in a restaurant and it was there that I caught the wine bug. I began to study and taste as much as I could. The next logical step was to become a Sommelier and I worked in a number of restaurants before joining the wine department in two of the best restaurants in the world, Per Se and The French Laundry.  Eventually, I decided to continue my journey in wine by getting involved on the production end of things. One of the first things I learned (in practice, not in theory) was that all great wines start in the vineyards. I am fortunate to work with some of Oregon’s best vineyards, all of which are salmon safe and LIVE certified. By practicing sustainable grape growing and winemaking, we are ensuring that the land, animals and rivers will still be here for generations go to come.

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HB: What do you want everyone to know about wine in general and about Mouton Noir specifically?

AM: Wine is not a beverage reserved for the elite, but can and should be enjoyed by everyone. A wine’s place is on the table right next to the salt and pepper, as a compliment–even a condiment to the food.  It is not meant only to be collected, but to enhance your meal and your way of life. This can happen at any financial level.

HB: Your wine comes from Oregon, the packaging is design conscious and the concept is connected to a line of tees. Are you disrupting the image of loving wine?

AM: First of all, Oregon has a rich history of making wine and a very bright future. We’ll all be seeing and tasting much more of it in the coming years. As for the packaging and marketing; I started to do my own design and marketing out of necessity and I have turned that into a small firm called Get Fraiche Cru, providing design and marketing to others in the industry. T-shirts are just plain fun and it was a way for me to express the subculture of wine and the people in it. I hope that I can show everyone that there are many ways to love wine!

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