GROWING "GREEN" GRAPES: Sustainable vs. Organic

by Laura High, Chief Editorialist, Mile High Wine and Spirits

The basics

Everywhere you turn these days more and more attention is paid to “being green.” Increasingly, customers, retailers and companies that supply the myriad of products we purchase and consume are focusing on more earth-friendly practices.

We know this subject is important to you and so we thought we’d provide some basic information about how the “green movement” plays into the wine industry. Follow the links in this article to find reviews of some of the organic and sustainably grown wines you’ll find in our store. Clearly it’s better for this generation, the next, and each that follows if we turn to practices that are better for the planet and all the people and living things that will still be here long after we are gone.

We care about the planet, but we’re also a business. Fortunately these things don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Providing products that consumers are looking for – organic and sustainably grown wines – is good for business. If you provide people with what they are looking for they will buy it. So in the end, everyone benefits – now and in the future.

We thought you might like to know a bit more about what so many people are looking for and how these concepts relate to wine. The most obvious distinction between these two philosophies is that sustainable practices – although highly defined – are not regulated. The definition of what can be “certified organic” involves following rules and meeting standards that have been put in place by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, from a “green” perspective there would appear to be more similarities than there are differences.

As in any sector of agriculture there are wine grape producers specializing in generating volume. The growing practices associated with this philosophy are designed to produce the greatest amount of juice from the smallest amount of acreage and – just as with any other sector – this may not involve earth-friendly practices. But by and large, wine grape growers are some of the most environmentally responsible farmers and in many places are setting the local standard for “growing green.”

Sustainable Wines

Although sustainable farming – whether of grapes or any other crop – is not regulated there are a number of certification bodies and their requirements are specific. An example is the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Association (www.lodiwine.com) which adopted the American Society of Agronomy’s 1989 definition (it’s not a new concept): A sustainable agriculture is one that, over the long term, enhances environmental quality and the resource base on which agriculture depends; provides for basic human food and fiber needs; is economically viable; and enhances the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

The commission also embraces the philosophy that sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals: environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. Another essential arm of the program’s sustainability concept is the idea that because farming does not operate in a vacuum, each farmer's field is part of a complex community ecosystem.

According to a recent article in Wine Spectator, one of the attractive aspects of sustainable farming is the freedom to choose practices that best suit the individual vineyard. While benefiting the environment and the community by adopting practices such as recycling and conservation, and by minimizing the use of chemicals by instead using cover crops and compost for nutrient needs or native birds and insects for pest control, these vineyards are still profitable.

In the wine business being a certified sustainable vineyard is important if you want to display the logo of your particular certification body – its seal of approval – indicating you have followed and met all of their defined practices and standards for sustainable winegrape growing. A number of local and regional organizations in major winegrowing states such as California and Oregon have been established to assist vineyards with implementing sustainable practices and achieve certification. The certification process is typically required annually and performed by a third party.

In addition to requiring certain cultivation practices, whether a wine is allowed to display the certification logo means a specific percentage of the wine comes from a certified sustainable vineyard. This percentage varies from state to state. It is noteworthy that there are many organizations that help farmers implement sustainable practices, but far fewer that offer certification. The fact that many vineyards practice sustainable farming (and have for a long time) but far fewer are actually formally certified may be a reflection of this reality.

But even if a vineyard is not certified the terms “sustainably farmed” or “naturally farmed” still may appear on its labels. The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB; a branch of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) is charged with ensuring these statements are truthful and that labeling information isn’t misleading, which and may require documentation from the vineyard.

Organic Wines

Although organic farming isn’t philosophically far from sustainable farming the road to becoming a “certified organic” winery is considerably more difficult. The National Organic Program, which is overseen by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the TTB are charged with setting guidelines for the processing and labeling of organic products – including wine.

Like sustainable wineries, organic wineries are certified each year by an independent agency which is in turn monitored by the USDA. To achieve certification certain guidelines must followed for three years prior to certification and then continuously after the organic license is issued. For the wine industry this prohibits the use of materials such as synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and sewage sludge, or the use of genetically modified organisms or irradiation.

Additionally, organic certification encourages practices like positive soil building, conservation, and crop rotation, as well as avoiding contamination during processing. Records of all operations are also required. As a result of these practices, organic wines test at minimal or zero pesticide residue levels.

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA; www.organicconsumers.org), a non-profit public interest organization dedicated to “building a healthy, equitable, and sustainable system of food production and consumption,” explains that there are really four levels of “organic” and to know what’s in the wine you are buying you must become a label reader (good advice for everything).

• 100% Organic: For a wine to sport the “100% Organic” label and the USDA organic seal, it must be made from 100% organically produced ingredients, have an ingredient statement on the label, and give information about who the certifying agency is. A wine in this category cannot have any added sulfites, although it may contain naturally occurring sulfites as long as the level doesn’t exceed 100 parts per million (ppm).

• Organic: To be labeled “Organic” and display the USDA organic seal wine must be made from at least 95% organic ingredients, have an ingredient statement on the label identifying these ingredients, and identify the certifying agency. Again, added sulfites are not allowed but naturally occurring sulfites below 100 ppm are acceptable. The remaining 5% must be an agricultural ingredient that is not available organically or some other substance such as yeast.

• Made with Organic Ingredients: You might also see “Made with Organic Grapes” or “Organically Grown,” but the bottle will not be allowed to bear the USDA seal. Any of these statements mean the wine must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients. However, the wine still must have an ingredient statement and indicate the certifying agency. In addition to naturally occurring sulfites, these wines are allowed to add sulfites, but the total level still must be below 100 ppm. The remaining 30% must be an agricultural ingredient that is not available organically or some other substance.

• Some Organic Ingredients: This designation indicates the wine has less than 70% organic ingredients. The wine cannot bear the USDA seal nor have information about a certifying agency or any other reference to organic content

The OCA website also does and excellent job of explaining in detail the confusing subject of sulfites – which occur naturally in many wines.

The Bottom Line

It would probably be hard to find someone who didn’t agree that growing anything – including grapes – in a manner that is better for our environment is a good thing. But is it profitable? Does the wine taste better?

We’ll talk about that next time.