DON’T PANIC IF IT’S NOT ORGANIC!
WHAT DOES ORGANIC WINE MEAN?
When you’re walking through the grocery aisle, and your kids are ripping the organic cereal off the shelves, because “Mom, it’s organic, so it’s healthy!” it makes you stop and think about what “organic” really means. And then you stop and wonder why you brought them to the grocery store. Also, why there isn’t a wine tasting currently being conducted in the aisles?
“Organic,” “natural,” “no sulfur” and “sustainable” have become major buzz words lately in the wine world, and they are selling like hot cakes at the fireman’s annual pancake breakfast. Organic is definitely a thing, and consumers have proven their desire for chemical free products by actually paying MORE for these items. I thought it would be fun to dive a little deeper on what these indicate, in terms of the wine you’re drinking, and take a look at actually value when you buy a bottle of organic wine.
I’ll be honest – most winemakers I interview or meet are making wine with the least amount of chemical intervention. Many practice what’s called ‘lutte raisonnée’, which literally means ‘reasoned fight’ in French – and translates to ‘supervised control’ in English (also can be called sustainable wine practice). This method can be a happy medium between conventional winemaking and the strict ‘organic’ certification (i.e., not just someone who says ‘organic’, but is actually certified). On the whole, wine drinkers are concerned about chemicals in the wine, which leads down the ‘added sulfites’ road. Organic wine labeling is complicated because of the specific terms that are used. “100% Organic”, “organic”, “made with organic grapes” and “Biodynamic”, which all mean different things.
BEWARE CONTAINS SULFITES
WAIT.? WHAT?
In the United States, the USDA has determined that any wine that uses sulfur dioxide (S02) in the winemaking cannot be called organic, and most quality wine producers are reluctant to leave S02 out of the equation due to the volatility they’d then be exposed to.
PAUSE. REWIND.
The issue for U.S. winemakers is that many are making wines that would be considered organic by EU requirements but due to stricter laws set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture which require sulfites in wine be left out of the equation, many are left with just labeling “made with Organic Grapes”. (vs in EU 100ppm for dry reds and 150ppm in dry whites is allowed). Many are campaigning to align the US with the European standards, where wines that are organically farmed and made using a certain low amount of sulfur can be labeled organic. It should be noted that no wine can be completely sulfite free, because sulfur is a byproduct of alcoholic fermentation. Just another “fun fact” to keep your head spinning.
Which leads us down the yellow brick road of what ‘organic’ wine really means. The bottom line is that when a wine label says it is carb free or sugar free, or promises you won’t get a headache, it’s a gimmick. However, for wines labeled “organic,” it’s more complicated.
WHAT IS WHAT?
Are you ready to really understand this? Grab a drink and try not to be distracted by your kids spilling organic milk everywhere, or grab an oreo and just relax.
Because I get asked about chemicals in wine a lot, I’ll start with sulfur usage.
SULFUR
WHY IS SULFUR USED?
Sulfur is used in winemaking for consistency and a guarantee of quality. Sulfur prevents oxidation and unwanted bacteria, allowing a wine to age during long-term storage. To go back to what I said about winemakers, most keep sulfur usage under 100ppm (parts per million). To be real for a moment, some wine regions such as Bordeaux, Barolo, and Loire will struggle from a non-sulfur regime in the vineyards due to rain, rot and other issues that has left these areas struggling to grab fully onto a no sulfur mantra. In most cases (nearly all) sulfites in wine are not a health concern.
The problem (in my personal opinion) with wines completely devoid of sulfur in the winemaking process is that it can result in a wine that is not entirely stable, with funky, ‘mousy’ or ‘reductive’ odors and flavors, while cutting the shelf life down. It takes a very experienced winemaker to create a good wine made without sulfur. They will need to control oxidation during the process, and they typically cannot control what happens to the wine when it leaves the winery. Generally, purity and freshness is the endgame here, and taste can really vary. Meaning, the quality varies a lot with natural wines. Some producers are killing it and some are failing dramatically. If you are drinking non sulfite wines, don’t expect a long shelf life!
WHAT IS SULFUR?
A chemical element, a yellow compositable non-metal. When winemakers refer to “Sulfur” or S02/sulfur dioxide they are generally referring to the total amount of sulfur in the wine. S02 is (free) in wine and has 3 different forms: Molecular S02, bisulfite, and sulfite. Essentially, wine cannot be completely free of sulfites because sulfites are a by-product of alcoholic fermentation. White wine will typically contain more sulfites than red, and sweet wine will have the most! Around 1 million people in the US are allergic to sulfites, which is why you will see “contains sulfites” on the label.
IS MY HEADACHE FROM MY WINE?
HEADACHES
No research has connected sulfites to causing headaches. Headaches from wine are most likely a reaction to histamines, tannins (rare) or alcohol. My personal opinion is that headaches are usually related to high alcohol. Histamines naturally occur on grape skins, this is why many wine drinkers will have a reaction to red wine over white wine since red wine stays longer on the skins during the winemaking process vs white wine. This will not hurt you, but a ¼ of a Benadryl will help out!
SULFUR IN FOOD
Do you eat French fries, potato chips, and/or dried fruit? Drink orange juice or apple juice? Guess what? That has more sulfites than wine. For example a 4oz wine with 100ppm of sulfites is around 12 mg of sulfites, while 3 oz of dried fruit has 175mg.
EU ORGANIC
Here are a few legal terms, each relating to a different category of organic-ness, and each worth understanding:
Organic
Made with Organic Grapes
Biodynamic
Sustainable & Low Intervention
100% ORGANIC
Involves the entire process of wine growing, from grape growing to bottle.
Certification takes three years and then it must pass a certification inspection each year.
No added sulfites, no synthetic pesticides or chemical herbicides are used.
Can use USDA label or state “certified organic by…”
ORGANIC WINE
When you see “Organic”on a wine label, it means that the wine was certified organic by the USDA and the Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB), and it will have a seal from the USDA or COLA (Certificate of Label Approval requirements) on the bottle. If it doesn’t have the seal or does not state “certified organic by…” it is not certified organic. Organic wine in the US is overseen by the TTB and the USDA organic regulator. The requirements here are that yeast must be organic (unless the desired strain is not available), which means a yeast strain found naturally on the grape. Sulfites allowed will be under 10 ppm (parts per million), naturally occurring and made with organic grapes. As stated above, many US producers feel we should be aligned with European regulations, which would allow wines that use 100ppm and under of sulfur and are made from organic grapes to be labeled “organic”. 95% of the product from grape growing to bottle must be organic.
A 411 on yeast. This can be a hot debate button in this conversation. When grapes are picked, they have a natural yeast on the skins. A winemaker must decide whether to start the alcoholic fermentation with this natural/indigenous yeast or to inoculate with commercial yeast.
MADE WITH ORGANIC GRAPES
This is a tough one in terms of labeling because most organic vineyards are left with just labeling “Made with Organic Grapes” because they use a small amount of sulfites. Yes, the grapes must be certified organic. This wine may contain up to 100ppm of sulfur dioxide, and grapes must be certified organic. 70% of materials must be organic. No chemical pesticides or chemical herbicides are allowed. Production of wine set by standards of USDA or NOP (National Organic Program) and no GMOS.
Cannot use the USDA organic label
BIODYNAMIC WINE
This is a certification that has very strong opinions on both sides. Some call it “hippy wine” and others call it the most pure example of winemaking. This certification meets and usually exceeds standards for organic farming. Growers follow organic principals that connect the wine with the moon, planets and stars with no synthetic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, growth stimulants or GMOs. Sulfites must be under 100ppm. Biodynamic farming was promoted by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian professor who had a deep connection and respect for the land which follows astrological configurations which essentially brings harmony to the entire winemaking process. Can use USDA label or Demeter USA Label.
SUSTAINABILITY IN WINE
This category, like ‘natural wine,’ has no global definition or set of standards to which all regions can adhere. Basically, ‘sustainable’ is a classification that encompasses more than than identifying whether or not chemicals are used in wines – it assesses every aspect of the wine business, addressing factors like water usage, waste, social impact and carbon footprint. New Zealand has been leading the way here. Sonoma and Lodi is also leading the way here in the U.S.
At the end of the day, drink the wine you love! The more you understand the producer or what the wine makers philosophy is, the more informed decisions you can make when picking wine! Don’t get caught up in the fad’s of low calorie, no fat, and no headache wines! Just enjoy and put your feet up! You deserve it!