I was at my favorite wine shops the other day, Twin Liquors, and was looking for a new wine to try. I was talking with one of the many experienced associates and she was telling me about this new “Organic Wine” they just started selling. I was like Organic Wine? Isn’t all wine organic? I mean it is practically made up of about 95% of organic components right? Water, soil, grapes, etc…

Needless to say I was a little skeptical and did not purchase the Organic Wine that day and decided to do a little research on my own. What I came up with confused me even more. Right now with every food brand trying to put on their label “organic” the USDA has to have some sort of certification and set of rules that one must go by. I found some very interesting articles that redefine “Organic Wine” and what it really means.

Basically the USDA of NOP (National Organic Program) says, an organic wine is defined as "a wine made from organically grown grapes without any added sulfites". Many winemakers don’t agree with this definition because without a certain amount of sulfur dioxide added to wine, the product could be unstable in quality, thus giving the public a negative perception.

I am still on the fence about the whole issue of Organic vs. Conventional Wine, but in my opinion a good glass of wine is one of the best things on this earth! See the following articles below and judge for yourself.

Cheers!
~Tacy

(My hubby and I in Napa last year @ Artesa Winery)

What is an Organic Wine?

Organic Wines: Why Should You Care?

Clearing up the Confusion about Organic Wine

An Organic Debate – Part I

The National Organic Program (NOP)