Guide to Organic Wine

Winemakers in America have slowly been transitioning to organic wines and sustainable winemaking practices, which largely has to do with people wanting to lead more ethically, environmentally, and health-conscious lifestyles. At first guess, you may think that all it takes for wine to be labeled “organic”, is organically grown grapes, but this is only part of the equation. Although organically grown grapes are required, the absence of sulfites in organic wine is the true differentiator.

Sulfites are a preservative that winemakers include to prevent their wine from oxidizing and preserve flavor. This keeps their product as fresh as possible, for as long as possible. In organic wine, winemakers are not allowed to include any additional sulfites or they will not be considered certified-organic.

 Today, most winemakers steer clear of getting a USDA certified-organic seal. This is directly linked to not being allowed to include sulfites in the final product. It’s believed that without the sulfites, the flavor and shelf life will suffer too much, and overall the quality of the wine will drop. Unlike America, in Europe and Canada organic wine can still be produced with sulfites, and receive a certified-organic seal.

That doesn’t mean that winemakers don’t do their best to try and operate organically; in fact, majority try to make their wine with organically grown grapes, including a number located here in the Napa Valley.

Although each winery operates differently, almost all can agree on the importance of preserving the soil and vines in their vineyards, as well as the surrounding environment. Chemical-free means richer soil, healthier vines, and fresh, mouthwatering grapes.