Top 10 Organic Wines
‘Organic' and ‘Biodynamic’ wines are growing in number and popularity year on year. Consumers are drawn to the supposed health benefits they provide and better environmental practices that they adhere to. But what do the terms ‘Organic’ and ‘Biodynamic’ actually mean in the wine industry? Here, without getting too technical, we will try to shed a light on them.
Organic Wines
Best sustainable practices are followed such as the protection of the environment during the production process with biodiversity encouraged in the vineyard. The use of artificial fertilisers and herbicides are almost always avoided, though copper sulphate is an exception to protect against mildew. In the winery, manipulation of the wine is limited and there are tighter restrictions on the level of sulphites allowed in the finished product. Sulphites must must be at least 30-50 mg per litre lower than a non-organic wine. This usually equates to at most two thirds of the maximum sulphates allowed conventionally, depending on the residual sugar content. See our entire range of Organic wines here.
Organic and Biodynamic Certification
The EU first officially recognised the labelling of ‘Organic Wine’ from the 2012 vintage onwards. Certification is complex and varies from country to country using different regulatory bodies with differing criteria. Although many producers do get their wines certified it can be an arduous and expensive process and as a result many choose to practice organic and biodynamic principles without getting officially certified. See our entire range of Non-Certified Organic wines here.
