USDA Organic

The grapes are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, and all ingredients going into these wines, which includes yeast, must be certified organic. No sulfites may be added to these wines, naturally occurring sulfites are permitted. Only these wines may display the USDA organic seal.

Made with Organic Grapes

Means entirely made from certified organic grapes. Additional ingredients used in the winemaking process need not be organic, but they cannot be produced with the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Wines must be produced and bottled in an organic facility, and sulfites must be limited to 100 parts per million or less.

Agrochemicals emerged in the 19th century and began to gain acceptance.

During the first half of the twentieth century, their use became widespread when the few grape growers to have overcome phylloxera, World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II massively turned to agrochemicals to lessen their workload. In the process, vines became less and less able to survive without the chemicals.

By the 1960s, the poor state of soils gave impetus to the theory of biodynamics created in 1924 by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. He proposed that chemicals be replaced by one of nine herb and mineral-based preparations and that all tasks be done at their most effective time, based on lunar, solar, planetary rhythms.

The history of “green” farming is roughly divided into three waves.

Rudolf Steiner, founder of biodynamic agriculture.

Gluten-free certification is a process designed to protect consumers with celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders.

There are two places gluten can “enter” a wine: during fining and with the barrel. However, wheat-based fining agents are extremely rare. In barrels, a wheat-water paste is sometime used to seal the space between the barrel body and the head. The total amount of flour used is one ounce, which translates into a theoretical transfer of 5 ppm — one quarter of the allowable amount for US gluten-free certification of 20 ppm) if all the flour leached into the wine because the 60-gallon barrel was leaking.

Bottom line: nearly all wines are gluten-free, whether they have certification or not.

Gluten Free certifies the product.

Kosher wine is a grape wine that is produced according to Judaism's religious and dietary laws. In order for a wine to be kosher, it must be created under a rabbi's immediate supervision, with only Sabbath-observant Jewish males touching the grapes from the crushing phase through the bottling.

Kosher-for-Passover wines must be made in a cellar that's free of bread, dough, or grain products, or, perhaps most importantly, leavening agents (such as any non-kosher non-indigenous yeasts, which are often added in wineries to kickstart fermentation

This label guarantees the wine is vegan; the wine has not come into contact with any animal products during production or bottling.

In practice, that means that fining – the act of removing proteins called “colloids” that later cause a wine to be hazy – is done not with egg whites, casein (found in milk) or isinglass, a product derived from fish bladders, but with bentonite clay carbon, limestone, kaolin clay, plant casein or silica gel.

In bottling, the bottle is not sealed with beeswax or with compound corks made using milk-based glues.

Vegan certification, in general, does not cover what happens in the vineyard – so guano, for example, can be used to fertilize.

Vegan certifies the product.

Agrichemicals

Some organic producers argue that we ingest the synthetic sprays from the vine’s sap and the grape skins. Opponents point out that after you spray, there is a legally mandated waiting period before you can harvest to allow the chemical to degrade. And, if there is any residue, it will be eliminated during any of these winemaking steps: removal of skins after pressing, clarification, fermentation, filtration. Bottom line: definitely healthier for the workers in the field and winery, but not a big factor for consumers.

Hangovers

Histamines may aggravate hangovers. Bottom line: Moderation in consumption is the best preventative!

Histamines

New research points to biogenic amines (BAs) as the possible culprit responsible for flushes, nausea and exacerbating hangovers. Histamine is a BA found in fermented products including alcoholic beverages, matured cheese and fermented vegetables. In winemaking malolactic fermentation increases histamines. Red wines have 20% to 200% more histamines than white wines. “Quality,” organic production does not impact histamine levels. To date, there is no agreement on how many people are allergic, nor what a reasonable histamine level might be.

Are Organic wines sulfite-free or do they just contain fewer sulfites?

• The short answer is “no” and “possibly.” There is no such thing as “sulfite-free wine” as all wine contains infinitesimal amounts of sulfites (around 5 ppm), which are a natural byproduct of fermentation. Sulfite content in wines ranges from 5 to 250 ppm, with a legal limit in the U.S. of 350 ppm.
• Dry wines have fewer sulfites than sweeter wines, and red wines tend to have fewer sulfites than white. A well-made red wine (not necessarily organic) has between 50–75 ppm, with good dry whites around 100 ppm.
• Wines from a quality producer such as Domaine Bousquet clock in at an average of 50 ppm.
• If you are part of the 0.5% to 1% of the population who should avoid sulfites, look for producers making “natural wines.”

Why are sulfites in winemaking?

Sulfites are used for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Uses include: protecting grapes on warm days en route from field to winery, helping start fermentation, stopping fermentation, protecting the wine during racking, and preventing oxidation prior to bottling. Broadly: high-acid wines are more stable; red winemaking uses fewer sulfites than white; sweet wines require the most help to prevent spoilage.