With our consumption habits increasingly influenced by concerns about health (whether it’s our own or those of the planet), the trend for ‘going organic’ where possible shows no sign of slowing down. But the term organic remains confusing one, with many consumers confused about exactly what it implies.
While we’re now generally used to the fact that organic fruit and vegetables are those that haven’t been kept bug-free by the use of any chemicals, or indeed had any other chemical nasties fired at them during their growth, the notion of organic white wine is a little more complex. What does the term refer to and will the organic growth have any effect – be it positive or negative – on the taste of our bottle of wine?
Firstly, the term organic can only be applied to those wines that are produced entirely without the aid of any chemical pesticides, herbicides or even synthetic fertilizer. White wine that ticks all these boxes can be classified officially organic and will receive an official stamp on the label of the bottle.
But while this may sound simple in theory, the practice is a little more complicated. There are degrees of ‘organic-ness’ in white wines – some may be made using organic grapes, while others may be produced using entirely organic practices, right down to the packaging.
Organic wines tend to be popular among vegans and vegetarians, as many (although by no means all), are made without the fish or animal by-products that are an ingredient in many bottles of standard wines. A good example of a vegan organic wine is the French Chardonnay Domaine Delmas Limoux – the wine is deliciously drinkable, with a flavour that has been in no way harmed by the absence of artificial pesticides or animal by-products. Vegetarians who want to buy organic wines that fit in with their meat-free way of life should check labels for the vegetarian ‘V’ tick in the UK, guaranteeing that nothing of animal origin has made its way into their bottle of white wine.
To be considered 100 per cent organic, a bottle of white wine needs to be made according to processes that involve no chemical fertilizers, stablizers or other additives in the soil, the vine or on the grapes themselves. Each and every one of the grapes used in the bottle needs to have been raised organically in order to qualify. As this is a challenging thing to achieve in light of the pests and weather conditions that can blight the life of a vine, these 100 per cent organic white wines are typically produced in small quantities and is best drunk while young.
To be considered simply ‘organic’, a white wine needs to have been made from at least 95 per cent organic grapes. Small amounts of sulphites or chemical stabilisers may have been used in the production of the wines, as long as it doesn´t exceed official limits. In these small quantities, the chemicals are unlikely to have any negative effect on the consumer, but those who are looking for totally organic produce may beg to differ. Due to the permitted levels of chemicals, these organic white wines tend to be more widely produced and have a longer shelf life than their 100 per cent organic counterparts.
A third category is White Wine Containing Organic Grapes, which may not meet the criteria of fussier consumers. These wines may use up to a maximum of 30 per cent non-organic grapes, are allowed to use higher levels of sulphites than organic white wines and as such tend to have a yet longer shelf life.
Whatever the level of ‘organic-ness’, a bottle of organic white wine will have less chemicals and generally more health-giving antioxidants than their non-organic counterparts. Some people swear that organic wine imparts less of a hangover than non-organic versions, although obviously nobody would suggest guzzling a couple of bottles in a sitting just to test out the theory!
Organic white wine is increasingly big business and it is perhaps unsurprising that France – leader in all things viticultural – should be producing the most and arguably the best, organic white wines. French wines occupy eight of the top 10 positions in the world´s best selling organic wine lists, but Chile and California are also dramatically stepping up their production of organic white wine.
There are several regulatory bodies, such as ECOCERT, keeping a close eye on the production practices of vineyards claiming to produce organic white wines, ensuring that the public genuinely get what they pay for.
