Organic
wines are one of the hottest trends in restaurants today, according
to a report last week from the National Restaurant Association.
But what is the difference between traditional winemaking practices,
and organic practices?
Conventional
wine means that the winemakers us an industrialized agricultural
system characterized by mechanization, monocultures, and the use
of synthetic inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
with an emphasis on maximizing productivity and profitability.
Organic winemaking
is a type of agricultural process that promotes the use of renewable
resources and management of biological cycles to enhance biological
diversity, without the use of genetically modified organisms, or
synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Organic production
is a system that integrates “cultural, biological, and mechanical
practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance,
and conserve biodiversity. At its most basic level, organic wine
is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical
fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.
When a label
says “organic,” it means the wine has met certain standards
that are set by a government agency. Different nations have their
own certification criteria, so what’s organic in one country
may not be so in another. Many wineries that are technically organic
still choose not to be certified. There are many reasons for this.
Some do not want the added costs and bureaucracy of registering.
Others may disagree with their government’s standards. It
can also be a marketing decision. Whatever the case, they are not
allowed to use “organic” on their labels. To make the
claim on its label, a wine must be made with at least 70 percent
organic grapes, according to the Organic Consumers Association.
There’s no official seal for “wines made from organic
grapes”, so you’ll have to read the label or ask the
wine store owner where to find them.
Organic wine
can also be broken down further to include biodynamic and sustainable
wine making practices.
Biodynamic winemaking
follows the teachings of Austrian anthroposophist Rudolph Steiner
(1861-1925), and incorporates homeopathic treatments, as well as
astronomical and astrological considerations, into the organic process.
His is a system of farming and damaging natural resources to produce
the highest possible crop quality. The central goal of biodynamic
farming is to create and maintain unique, self-sustaining farm ecosystems.
This is achieved by building and maintaining soil fertility through
composting and crop rotation. Unique to biodynamic farming is the
application of biodynamic preparations (organic nutrient teas) that
stimulate soil and compost microbial activity and stimulate the
life forces of soil and plants. For biodynamic wines, two related,
prevalent ideas exist: life follows rhythms and the farm should
be self-sustainable. Like organic farming, biodynamic agriculture
uses no synthesized herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Unlike
organic farming, though, biodynamic producers build upon the organic
base with their adherence to life’s rhythms and a self-containing
eco-system. According to wine maker and biodynamic advocate Nicolas
Joly: “Organics permits nature to do its job; biodynamie permits
it to do its job more.”
Biodynamic growers
believe that the Earth and plant life have rhythms in respect to
their position to the moon, sun and stars. The earth inhales and
exhales. High and low tides are great examples of the earth’s
rhythms. Another example is the cycle of sap within vines. During
periods of an ascending moon, the earth breathes out, and growth
is focused above the soil. Sap flows upward. During a descending
moon, the earth inhales, and sap is drawn downward into the soil.
Like grape vines, trees react the same way. For this reason, cutting
down large trees such as a maple is best avoided during an ascending
moon.
Biodynamic producers
time vineyard and cellar work to enhance life’s rhythms. For
example, producers will rack their wines—term for removing
sediment, by moving the wine from one barrel to another, generally
using gravity—during a descending moon or inhalation. The
theory: the gravitational pull compacts the sediment, rendering
an easier racking. Also, many producers believe the increase in
gravitational pull holds the aromas in the wine being racked. Thus,
the aromas do not escape from the wine!
Sustainable wine refers to an agricultural system that is ecologically
sound, economically viable, and socially just – a system capable
of maintaining productivity indefinitely. Sustainable agriculture
was addressed by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill. Under that law,
“the term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system
of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific
application that will, over the long term:
Satisfy
human food and fiber needs
Enhance
envionmental quality and the natural resource base upon which
the agricultural economy depends
Make the
most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and o-farm resources
and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and
controls
Sustain
the economic viability of farm operation
Enhance
the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.”
Wineries that
take the ecology of the vineyard into account, and try to minimize
chemical treatments an energy use, are considered sustainable. Some
jokingly refer to themselves as “organic unless something
goes wrong.”
So, do biodynamic,
organic, and sustainable wines taste better than conventionally
made wines? These wines communicate the maker’s passion and
their commitment to nature. Biodynamic wine is an expression of
the place, soil and microclimate—components of the French-term
“terroir.” If well made, then biodynamic wines are delicious,
unique and hold a sense of place. Monty Waldin in Biodynamic Wines
describes the uniqueness source as “farm individuality.”
This individuality often results in some of the most expressive
and interesting wine out there.
Want to try
a few of these dynamic wines? Check out Bonterra Merlot (California)
2005 and Sepp Moser Gruner Veitliner 2006 (Austria).
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