What is Organic Wine?

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What is Organic Wine?

By Elizabeth Coleman

In This Article

>	Sulfites

With the holidays right around the corner you are probably starting to plan your menu. Whether you'll be serving two or twenty you want the meal to be perfect so of course the wine must be just right. Maybe you want to try something a bit different, something from a smaller winery, or maybe you are searching for a wine lower in sulfites. Choosing wine can be a daunting task especially if you are not familiar with the all too often intimidating world of wine. Fear not, we are here to help. We even selflessly conducted our own wine tasting, sampling 21 different organic wines (it's umm....professional responsibility, you know...research) in order to further assist you, our readers.

First of all, what is organic wine? The definition of what makes wine organic is still under debate as various groups study the subject. It can be tricky to decipher since wines are subject to various national and regional regulations and standards. Universal consensus has not yet been reached.

Here in the United States, there are several organizations that watch over the organic wine sector. The two main ones are the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). The ATF does not permit labels to carry the term 'organic wine', so instead you may see labels that carry the terms 'wine organically processed' or 'grapes organically grown'.

So what do these labels really mean? 'Organically grown grapes' means that the grapes were grown according to strict standards without the use of chemical or synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Bottles bearing the term 'Organically processed wine' have no added sulfites.

This leads us to a rather touchy subject in the world of organic wine making, sulfites. According to Katrina Frey, co-owner and proprietor of Frey vineyards in Mendicino County, California, if the wine has added sulfites it is not truly an organic wine. This very claim is pending federal approval and may be decided by the end of the year. If the USDA decides to adopt the proposed definition, only wines made with no added sulfites will be legally labeled "organic" wines.

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