Green Journal Project - Organic Wine

One of our assignments in my Sustainable Marketing class was to create a Green Journal in which I chose to write about Organic Wines. Now you may be asking yourself, "What is Organic Wine?"  

Organic wines are produced using organically grown grapes. No pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, or synthetic chemicals of any kind are allowed on the vines or in the soil. Strict rules govern the wine-making process and storage conditions of all imported and domestic wines that acquire certification. Moreover, organic winemakers often avoid many of the chemical substances used to stabilize conventional wines. 

Organic wines from Trader Joes - Green Fin (from California) & Chiusa Grande (from Italy)

Types of Organic Wines

 

Certified Organic

Indicated by the “USDA ORGANIC” logo, these products are made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods, with no added sulfites, nitrates or other non-organic ingredients. They may however contain less than 20 ppm of naturally occurring amounts of sulfites.

Gluten Free

Products that are made from ingredients that do not contain glycoprotein (gluten). In beer the ingredients that are usually left out of the product to make it gluten free are common grains used to make beer: barley and wheat.

Biodynamic

A certified farming practice that considers the entire farm an energetic whole brought into balance by the sum of its parts. Proponents maintain that the biodynamic process makes better wine. Biodynamic products are known to have better expression of "terrior", the way in which a wine represents its specific place of origin in its aroma, flavor and texture.

Sustainable

These products are made in a way that isn’t harmful for future generations and productions. This philosophy minimizes soil erosion, depletion of soil nutrients, water pollution, etc. It’s a holistic approach.

Natural Wine

These wines are made with as little chemical and technological intervention as possible, either in the way that grapes are grown or in the process of making the wine.

Made with organic grapes

These products contain 95 percent or greater organic ingredients. They may contain up to 5 percent non-organic ingredients, and can still display the “USDA Organic” logo.

Made with organic ingredients

These products are produced with a minimum of 70 percent organic ingredients. Sulfites may be added as an ingredient but not to exceed 100 parts per million. These products may display and qualify for “organic” certification but cannot carry the “USDA ORGANIC” logo.

The presentation went well and the class loved that I brought wine for them to taste. I found the Organic Wines are my local Trader Joes. The associate that assisted me was very helpful and helped me find the organic wines. Next time you are wine shopping, pick up a bottle organic wine and see if you taste a difference. You might find your new favorite wine!

Here are a few Organic Wine Makers that I found: