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The drive to go organic has set its sights on Chicago's night life.  New lounges, venues and wine companies are proving that being eco-friendly can be as easy as choosing the right drink. 

"It's important for us to try to lead by example," said Rodney Alex, owner of the Juicy Wine Company, 694 N. Milwaukee Ave., which sells organic wines.

"One hundred percent of our wines are from sustainable agriculture and we sell certified organic and biodynamic wines," he said, explaining that biodynamic wines are made without chemicals or pesticides. 

The five-month-old Juicy Wine Company is one of several new venues that are promoting organically grown beverages, such as wines, made without added chemicals like sulfites.  American wines labeled "organically grown" or "made from organically grown grapes" mean that the vineyards are handled in accordance with their states' organic certifying agencies. 

"It's a trend," said Jerald O'Kennard, director of the Chicago-based Beverage Testing Institute, one of the country's premier alcoholic beverage review organizations.

"Right now businesses and specialty retailers are becoming very cognizant of organic wines and beverages," he said.

"I think that people are more conscious about what they are putting into their bodies," said Tracy Kellner, owner of Provenance Food Wine, a gourmet grocer whose beverage stock is 30 to 50 percent biodynamic or organic.

"We are bringing in many more locally produced, agriculturally sustainable made products.  Now we're aiming to sell 100 percent sustainable agriculture," Kellner said. 

Eco-friendly drink selections can also be found at The Butterfly Social Club, 722 W. Grand Ave., which opened April 21.  Like its sister venue the Funky Buddha Lounge next door, Butterfly Social Club serves organic cocktails and a variety of herbal tonics. 

"We encourage our bartenders to educate people about the organic selections," said Alexandra Fox, manager of Funky Buddha Lounge, which also serves all organic juices, sodas, wine and vodka. 

The café and performance space Dulcenea, 1431 N. Milwaukee Ave., which opened in January, is another venue that expects to offer an all-organic liquor, beer and wine menu later this month.

Producing eco-friendly liquors and wines uses products that require less energy to harvest and contribute less to groundwater pollution and run-off, there is a also a slight drawback according to Gary Rohr, director of Fine Wine Brokers Inc., 4621 N. Lincoln Ave. 

"Under new regulations, a wine listed as organic can not use added sulfites, which are used to preserve stability," said Rohr, who also runs a monthly organic wine club.  Sulfites are preservatives that help keep wine from developing infections and bacteria, and also helps preserve a wine's shelf life by postponing oxidization.

True wine connoisseurs and tasters complain that the absence of added sulfites contributes to blandness and a lack of good color in organic wines. 

"Organic wines can have short shelf-lives," Alex said.  "But in order to have great wine you have to start with great organic fruit." ------------------ Sidebar(s) ------------------ ------ Headline: Organic drink venues Body:

Funky Buddha Lounge; 728 W. Grand Ave., Chicago

Tel: (312) 666-1695

Butterfly Social Club; 722 W. Grand Ave., Chicago

Tel: (312) 666-1695

Juicy Wine Company; 694 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Tel: (312) 492-6620

Dulcenea; 1431 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Tel: (773) 777-5544

Lumen; 839 W. Fulton Market, Chicago

Tel: (312) 733-2222

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