Organic Wine

Organic wine is made from grapes grown in organic vineyards, and is processed using methods that keep chemical intervention to a minimum. This means that, strictly speaking, organic wine is not necessarily totally organic. If problems do occur, natural bio-degradable sprays are used, as are biological controls (planned releases of ladybirds which eat vine aphids, for example). Other permitted treatments include the use of salts (copper sulphate) and elemental (not man-made) sulphur to control mildew.

The difference between organic and non-organic wine lies in the fact that organic producers keep the use of chemicals to a minimum, with levels approaching a third of those used in conventional wine production. The lower levels of sulphur are suspected of being the reason why organic wine has a reputation for being hangover-free, which has to be a claim worth checking.

There is currently no agreed standard for what constitutes "organic wine", and organic certification agencies are in the process of addressing this issue. In the meantime, examine the labels on organic wine bottles and look for indications that organic grapes are the main ingredient.

Good organic practice respects the environment and promotes biodiversity and sustainability. All organic growers agree that respect for the soil is paramount. Only vines growing in a living soil full of worms and bacteria can draw a maximum of mineral elements from the soil.

Without these mineral elements vines are unable to mature and remain disease-resistant, and they are unlikely to produce a complex wine. Organic growers improve soil structure and fertility by adding organic compost in winter, and by sowing cover crops (peas, barley, flowers, herbs) between the vine rows in spring. When cover crops flower they bring colour to the landscape and beneficial insects into the vineyard. These 'beneficials' help control pests (like vine spiders and weevils) naturally, rather than chemically. This 'treat the cause, not the symptom' approach contrasts sharply with conventional methods that draw the vines into a vicious chemical circle of dependence because their defences have not been naturally built up

How do I get hold of Organic Wines?

All leading supermarkets are now stocking increasing numbers of organic wines although the choice is somewhat limited. For a greater range you will need to contact a specialist supplier, such as:

Vintage Roots Freepost, Reading, Berkshire, RG22 9ZZ Tel: 0800 980 4992 Fax: 0118 976 1998 Website: www.vintageroots.co.uk Email: info@vintageroots.co.uk Established in 1986 they have become one of the the UK's leading organic drinks companies, with some 500 fully certified organic wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks to choose from.