Attempting to de-confuse Organic wine and sulfites

by Maggie Bernat Smith

Green is good this much we know but defining what makes a product sustainable, organic or even biodynamic is a topic that is difficult to understand. All these terms have at least one “easy button” in common, they are all farming the best way they can to respect the earth, the vine, the grapes, and the future of their vineyards. These practices ensure that you get a natural expression of “terroir” with minimal intervention by the winemaker.

To give you an example of how confusing the term “organic” is (and this is based on CA definitions, every state and country has different laws)....the most recent regulation of organic wine and the labeling of organic wine dates back to 1990 when congress passed the National Organic Foods Act. The goal of the Organic Foods Act was to protect producers, handlers, processors, retailers, and consumers of organic food by assuming that foods labeled as organic were in fact organic. The Organic Foods Act put the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in charge of establishing regulations for organic foods and food products. They in turn established the National Organics Standards Board (NOSB) to advise them. Since fermented beverages were included in the Organic Foods Act, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) which regulates wine labeling also became involved. Then we have the National Organic Program (NOP), also part of the USDA. Whew and that still doesn’t cover it!

See why this is so confusing and completely frustrating to explain to not only the consumers but confusing to grape growers, winemakers and the like. So lets just break down some basics of Sustainable, Organic, Organic grapes or Biodynamic and what these winemakers are aiming to achieve.

Sustainable

The inherent concept is that the product has been made in such a manner that it will allow the vineyards and environment to continue to produce an undiminished product for all future generations. The main threats to sustainability are the issues of soil depletion, erosion, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, ecological impacts, resistance to pests and chemical dependence. Sustainability looks at the environmental system as a whole. In the vineyard, it may incorporate manmade products or “natural” products, and it will likely use integrated pest management (IPM) techniques. In the winery, minimal-additive winemaking philosophies will always be present.”

Sustainable winegrowing is the balance of economic, environmental and social practices. Unlike other farming practices, sustainable winegrowing is all encompassing in its approach, with concern for all surrounding environments and areas – not just with the crop that is grown. Every department—from vineyard management to winemaking to administration to hospitality—is responsible for maintaining and introducing new conservation programs. In short, it is an ever-evolving commitment to improve environmental practices throughout all winery operations.

Organic

For a wine to be labeled “Organic” and bear the USDA organic seal, it must be made from organically grown grapes and give information about who the certifying agency is. Organic grape growing avoids the use of synthetic chemicals and uses natural methods like crop rotation, tillage and natural composts to maintain soil health as well as natural methods to control weeds, insects and other pests. In the USA, strict rules govern the winemaking process at all stages of production including harvesting, the types of yeasts that can be used during fermentation as well as storage conditions. These rules are applied for all imported and domestic wines that acquire USDA certification. You can add sulfites but they have to be less then 20 parts per million.

Made with Organic Grapes - or Made with Organically Grown Grapes

The wine in this category must be made from organic grapes, but it can include added sulfites.
Sulfites are used to kill bacteria and also as a preservative. Without sulfites a wine may have a shelf life of only 6 months without the addition of sulphor dioxide.

Biodynamic

Finally, there is biodynamic viticulture, which was first advocated by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920′s and it gave rise to the organic wine movement. It utilizes a holistic approach to farming and views the vineyard as an interrelated unit by placing emphasis on the balance between the soil, vines and animals in a close self-nourishing system. It places high importance on composts and manures without the use of chemical fertilizers. The principles and practices of biodynamics are based on his spiritual/practical philosophy, called anthroposophy, which includes understanding the ecological, the energetic, and the spiritual in nature. Instead of bagged fertilizer, weed killer and pesticides farmers will rely on composting, natural predator-prey relationships, cover crops, and the animals that live on the estate, to keep the vineyard healthy and balanced. There are no silver bullets in Biodynamic winegrowing. When you eliminate all the artificial crutches, you learn to trust your instincts and to trust nature’s ability and capacity to make a great wine.

Lets talk about Sulfites

What seems to further complicate the subject of organic wine is the subject of sulfites. Sulfite or sulfur dioxide is used as a preservative in wines. It has strong antimicrobial properties and some antioxidant properties. The health effects or consequences of sulfites are debatable though a minute percent of the population does suffer a sensitivity reaction to them. No Added Sulfites means that the winery did not add sulfites to the wine but there may be naturally occurring sulfites in the wine which is a byproduct of fermentation.

The term ‘sulfites’ is an inclusive term for sulfur dioxide (SO2). SO2 is a preservative and widely used in winemaking (and in most food industries), because of its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. SO2 plays a very important role in maintaining a wine’s freshness. It naturally occurs in the winemaking process as a by-product of fermentation but is also added to ensure that the wine has a shelf life for more then just a few months and that bacteria will not spoil the wine.

Consumption of sulfites is generally harmless, unless you suffer from severe asthma or do not have the particular enzymes necessary to break down sulfites in your body. The amount of sulfites that a wine can contain is highly regulated around the world. Any wine containing more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur dioxide must affix to the label ‘contains sulfites’ (10 parts per million is miniscule compared to the likes of say orange juice)!

Added Sulfites = headaches

Medical research is not definitive on the relationship between sulfites and headaches. There are many other compounds in wine such as histamines and tannins that are more likely connected to the headache effect (not to mention alcohol!).

The Noble Grape we will be tasting these fun and interesting wines on Thursday from 6pm - 8pm and are featuring 10% off all Organic/Sustainable/BioD wines and spirits starting this Wednesday through Friday, stop in and sip the earth!