Organic Wine: If it isn’t 100% Organic, then it’s … Organic?
The standards for growing and selling organic foods are determined and regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). I will delve into these standards and the issues surrounding them in my next post. For now, we must understand the technical framework for the four different classifications using the Organic title on alcohol beverage containers.
100% Organic. Organic. Made with Organic Grapes. Made with Organic Ingredients.
The skeptic in me immediately cringes. Apparently, we need to differentiate between “100% Organic” and “Organic.” Shouldn’t the latter be the former? If you did not know that “100% Organic” existed, wouldn’t you assume that “Organic” meant what it says? But no – living in a culture where “new and improved!” pretty much means same as before but with a new label – “Organic” is only so when it is 100% (Now! More Organic than before!). But no matter, that is neither here nor there. “100% Organic” is at the top of the “O” tOtem pole, and “Made with Organic Ingredients” is at the bottom.
100% Organic – Very few wineries can boast of this accomplishment. This label means that NO sulfites, nitrates, nitrites, or other non-organic ingredients have been ADDED to produce this wine. Sulfites, for example, occur naturally in wine – but must be kept below 20 ppm in order to qualify for the “100% Organic” label. In addition, if using this label, the winery must list the certifying agent.
Organic – This label is for those who fall just short of the above accomplishments. 95% of your wine is required to be made from organic grapes. The other 5% of the materials that go into the wine (grapes, yeasts, etc.) can be non-organic. The rule about not adding sulfites and keeping the naturally occurring ones under 20 ppm remains active. Also, please note that this label, and the 100% organic label are the only two types which are allowed to use the official USDA seal.
Made with Organic Grapes – Despite the fact there is yet one more organic label after this one, this one seems to me as the last serious attempt at remaining organic. However, apparently it is not good enough for the USDA – they will not allow a winery to use the OFFICIAL SEAL if they only qualify for this tier of the organic hierarchy. No less than 70% of the wine’s grapes must be organic. The sulfite rule is also loosened a bit, allowing upto 100 ppm. What does this mean for the lay-consumer? Well, give them credit. 70% is much more than 0%, and buying (or growing) organic grapes is only a part of a much greater whole of organic winemaking.
Made with Organic Ingredients – Ok, come on. Do we give a wooden medal for 4th place in the Olympics (after the gold, silver, and bronze were given to the real winners)? Here they had the top-three, all with decent resume’s of organic accomplishments and the USDA decided to sneak in one more. But, really? Even a McDonalds beef patty can have some “organic ingredients” if one of the cows they slaughtered accidentally strolled out into a grass pasture. All personal skepticism aside however, a winery who wishes to use this label will have less than 70% organically produced ingredients and more than 30% non-organic. Also, those ingredients which are indeed organic must be shown as such on the label, with the percentages. And of course, despite the allowance for such a label, the USDA would not have themselves be associated with such a lackluster effort, so the use of the official seal is not allowed.
Having briefly explained the labels, I feel like I have barely begun to explain the interesting developments within the organic winemaking world. So, if you care about how what you ingest into your body came to be and why “organic” labels are as they are, check back soon as I will be writing at least one more post on the topic. Interesting developments still to cover? Here are a few: Sulfites – what IS the deal and why do we seem to care so much about their ppms? Organic certification…who does it and why is the ATF involved? A negative stigma surrounding Organic wine – why? Could organic growing actually be cheaper than swimming in fungicides? Why would you grow organically and not get certified? And last but not least, what is better than buying organic? (and no, I’m not talking about buying biodynamic)
Download the USDA LABELING ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTAINERS document for more specific (albeit less entertaining) information.
