Neil Beckerman /Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
By Leslie Billera
With all the talk of earthy, organic mushrooms on G Word recently, my mind turned to a recent conversation launched by an eco-cynic about organic wine the other night.
"All wine is organic," an eco-cynic friend said to me the other night. "Grapes come from the earth. On vines. That's organic."
I can see how it can get confusing when age-old agriculture, like wine-making, is suddenly aligned with the green movement. But pesticide-free farming and a deep respect for the land takes time, effort and money, and those who are meeting the exacting demands of eco-responsibility deserve recognition and praise.
However, that night I had no eco wine factoids in my greenie arsenal, so I countered with cotton. It turns out that the "the fabric of our lives" is actually responsible for 25% of insecticide use. Was that smoke coming out of his ears? I turned the conversation to the safety zone of Indiana Jones at 63.
I can admit to you, Planet Greenies, that no – not every wine is organic. In fact, when it comes to wine, organic labeling carries quite a bit of confusion.
Certified Organic vs. Certified Organic Grapes
It turns out that in order to be 'certified organic,' complete with the swirly green USDA organic seal, a wine has to be devoid of sulfur dioxide. These 'sulfites,' help ensure wine has a reasonable life span.
The good news is that for winemakers committed to organic farming, but unable to abandon sulfites (and not many can, given that sulfite-free wine has an extremely short shelf-life), the USDA allows vintners to use the following lingo: "made with organic grapes." In this instance, the winery and its farming practices still need to be certified organic, and the finished product needs less then normal sulflites-100 parts per million of total sulfites (the maximum allotment, by law, is 350 parts per million). Sounds like a fair compromise to us.
Need a glass of wine yet? Check out the following–all of which are doing something good for the land, for people, and for any green-leaning oenophile.
Parducci
Laying claim to being the first carbon neutral winery in the U.S., energy-efficiency rules the roost including solar, biodiesel, fluorescent lighting a local tree planting program. And all vintages are California Certified Organic Farm-certified.
Etica
The focus here is on fair trade. By working with producers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States, Etica helps farmers funnel funds back into vital community services like building infrastructures and education development.
The Organic Wine Company
Browse imported, top-quality wines from France and Italy including red, white, sparkling, biodynamic and even vegan, all certified organic.
And via Sprig.com, check out best budget organic vino here, for $25 or less.
-
- {}
