What Exactly is Organic Wine?

What Exactly is Organic Wine?
By Annemarie D'Alessandro

With the organic market expanding, you may have heard about organic wines once or twice. If you’ve ever wondered what makes a wine organic or if there are any benefits of drinking organic instead of non-organic wine, keep reading to learn the basics!

In general, organic wines are wines made with organically grown grapes. But, even if the grapes are grown organically and the wine is categorized as organic, it doesn’t mean that there are no additives in the final product. Thus, you cannot assume that any organic wine is also vegan as many animal products can be used towards the end of the winemaking process to clarify the wine and prepare it for bottling.

Even though wines are technically organic if the grapes are organic, various regions and authorities set different standards for wines to be labeled as organic. In the US, winemakers can claim that their wine is organic without a certification as long as the grapes are organically grown and there are no added sulfites. In Europe and Canada, the standards change; organic wines can be labeled as such as long as the grapes are organically grown and added sulfites are kept to a minimum. Most organic wines must keep their sulfite levels below 100 parts per million, but certified organic wines must maintain much lower levels.

If a wine is certified organic, the criteria are much more strict and it often costs the winery more money just to be able to print it on the label. For example, some wines are USDA certified organic which means the grapes were grown without synthetic fertilizers, no sulfites can be added (although naturally occurring sulfites are allowed), and any ingredients going into the wine must be certified organic (even the yeast!).

When doing research on organic wines, the term “biodynamic” wine may come up but what does that have to do with organic wines? Contrary to organic wines, biodynamic wine standards do not change from region to region. Biodynamic winemaking started in the 1920s, following the same pesticide and fertilizer restrictions as organic wines but also following a specific astronomic calendar. Within this calendar, the days coincide with one of the four elements (earth, fire, air, and water) which are further organized by four designations that determine when and what vineyard maintenance is performed. On fruit days grapes are harvested, on root days the vines are pruned, on leaf days the vines are watered, and on flower days the vineyard is untouched and has time to rest. These growing practices make biodynamic wines organic, but certified biodynamic wines are often not qualified to be certified organic because the biodynamic winemaking process allows up to 100 parts per million of sulfites in the final product.

So now we know the difference between organic, certified organic, and biodynamic wines, but what are the benefits of drinking organic instead of traditional wines? Some have suggested that the organic growing process can produce grapes with higher concentrations of antioxidants, which may protect you from cancer and heart disease-causing free radicals. Some organic wines have also shown lower concentrations of sugar. Plus, the organic growing process means you don’t have to worry about any trace amounts of chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers in your wine. Organic wine is also produced in a way that is beneficial for the environment which helps to maintain local flora, fauna, and keep the grounds suitable for growing for years and years to come.

If you like what you’re reading and would like to try out some organic wines for yourself, here are the things to look for:

• Bottles that say, “Made with Organically Grown Grapes”. These wines are considered organic but may not be certified organic, thus you should anticipate slightly higher levels of sulfites.
• Certification logos from different organizations. If you see a USDA logo on a bottle of wine, you’ll know the winery is following all regulations for organic wine production.
• Green price tags! Here at Passion Vines, we make shopping for organic wines easy. All bottles that have a green price tag are considered organic – some are certified, some are not, but they’re all organic nonetheless!

My only suggestion is to consume your organic wine a bit faster than traditional wines because the lower sulfite content allows the wine to go bad faster than a traditional wine. At Passion Vines we strive to maintain a diverse inventory, so if you’re interested in trying some organic wines be sure to stop in and browse the green tags! Chances are you’ll find an organic version of most wine types that you love. Happy tasting!