Organic, Sustainably Farmed and Biodynamic Wines

The above mentioned phrases are all the buzz right now with gas prices rising, constant global warming discussions and La Nina. But what does it mean for a bottle of wine?

Organic Wines

There are 3 main phrases you will see on an organic wine label:

100% Organic - Refers to wines that are produced with grapes that are certified 100% organically grown and do not have any added sulfates. In addition, the winery uses specific yeasts and fining aids that are approved.

Organic - Refers to wines that receive at least 95% of their ingredients from certified organic sources. These wines may have an additional 100 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur dioxide added to them.

Made with Organic Grapes - Refers to wines that have at least 70% of their grapes from organic sources. These wines may have sulfur dioxide added as well but would still have less than the average of 350ppm found in regular wine.

The organic certification program provides a variety of benefits for the farmer and consumer. The wines have been produced without the use of chemicals and from soils that have been tested free of chemicals for at least 3 years. The winery must keep very specific records, maintain strict separation between organic and non-organic foods, and agree to regular inspections. There are currently about 100 certified organic wineries in the United States and many more in Europe and beyond.

But the certification comes at a cost. For a small family farmer the $400-$2000 annual fee can eat deeply into the bottom line. So some vineyards have adopted the term "Practicing Organic" to designate that they are following all of the regulations but aren't certified at this time.

Sustainable Farming

Wines that practice sustainable farming do not look like the Napa Valley pool-table smooth lands of 20 years ago. In the past, there was not a blade of grass, weeds, a bird or bug. Acquiring this look took tons of pesticides to kill off the undesirables and tainted the soil with rodent poison to kill the moles and gophers.

Nowadays, many vineyards are turning to sustainable farming in order to reduce their dependence on chemicals and preserve the soil in its natural state.

Drip Irrigation- increases water use efficiency

Cover Crops- growing barley, oats, or other nitrogen rich crops. These crops enrich the soil when plowed down and also provide a habitat for insects and their natural predators, eventually eliminating the need for pesticides

Hawk Perches, Owl Boxes, and Bat homes- encourage natural predators of gophers, moles, and vine destroying insects to take up residence in the vineyard to protect the vines

Water recycling and Solar Panels- reduce the dependence on conventional electricity and pumped water.

Pesticides - use of chemicals is kept to a bare minimum or avoided altogether.

In many cases, the Sustainably Farmed winery finds itself spending less money and time on land maintenance and more time on the wine itself.

Biodynamic Wines

Biodynamic farming techniques utilize the vineyard's natural resources to cultivate the highest quality grapes possible without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, growth stimulants or GMO's (genetically modified organisms). A vineyard that is certified biodynamic meets and typically exceeds the standards and regulations for organic certified farming.

Rudolf Steiner is known as the father of biodynamic farming and anthroposopical thought- a spiritual philosophy based on a form of thinking independent of sensory experience. He also played a big role in the rise of Waldorf schools.

Biodynamic winemakers will add compost, spray their plants with liquefied herbs, hire their staff, work and weed the soil, and ultimately pick their grapes following a calendar that is loosely based on the position of the moon, the stars and the constellations. As British wine writer and scientist Jamie Goode puts it, "biodynamic farmers see the land in the context of the wider pattern of lunar and cosmic rhythms."

Here are some key ideas that differentiate Biodynamic Farming from Organic Farming:

Field Preparations: Involving herbs, hummus and animal parts mixed and applied at precise times. Yes, a cow horn filled with manure is buried during the fall equinox to increase the soil health.

Astrological and Astronomical Awareness: Planting, trimmings, fertilizing and pest treatments all occur in relation with phases of the moon or astrological constellations in relation to planetary positions.

Soil Quality and Composition: A study of the effect of biodynamic preparations on compost found that biodynamically treated compost contained 65% more nitrate than untreated compost, as well as significant differences in microbial life, temperature of compostation and carbon-dioxide respiration.

Soil Stability: As compared to Organic Farming methods, Biodynamic farming shows superior aggregate stability, soil pH, humus formation, soil calcium, microbial biomass, and faunal biomass (earthworms and arthropods).

Grape Quality: A long term California Study showed a statistically significant (p-value< 0.05) difference in the yield-to-pruning weight ratio, indicating an "ideal vine balance for producing high-quality winegrapes" for the biodynamically treated crop.

The three methods mentioned above are certainly not mutually exclusive. A farm can utilize all 3 methods or one and still produce wonderful quality wine.