You have taken your hybrid car out to run some errands. You’ve stocked up on organic produce and nontoxic cleaning supplies at the supermarket. You’ve stopped at the Home Depot to take advantage of its new Eco Options plan, picking up energy-efficient light bulbs, paint that is low in pollutants and wood harvested according to the principles of sustainable forestry. You’ve dropped off the recycling. One more stop to make, the wine shop.

Over the last decade we have seen many industries turn to more environmentally sound beliefs on the way businesses should operate. At the forefront of this movement are many of this countries wineries. Here is some information to help you understand the difference between two of the farming practices we hear a lot about these days; sustainable and organic.

The first step to becoming a “Green Winery,” is practicing sustainable farming. This refers to a range of agricultural practices that are not only ecologically sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Sustainable farmers have flexibility to choose what works best for their individual property, so that they can be profitable, but they generally recycle, conserve energy and water, and use renewable resources when possible. This group is comprised mainly of small family growers that participate in the Code of Sustainable Winemaking Program. There are no current certifications for sustainable winemaking. The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance is working to develop a certification program to accompany the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices. This certification standard is expected in 2009.

Like sustainable farmers, organic farmers strive to conserve soil & water and use renewable resources. However, organic standards prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Certified Organic Farms that meet the USDA Standards for Organic Certification must demonstrate that no synthetic herbicides, pesticides or fungicides are used in the farming process. There a numerous companies now set up as third party certifiers for the USDA. Certification takes up to 3 years and includes annual reviews of farming and winemaking practices.

Organic Wine vs. Organically Grown Grapes-Organic labeling on wine in the US can be confusing.
Organic Wine is grown in certified organic vineyards and no added sulfites are allowed. Wine made from Organically Grown Grapes is grown in certified organic vineyards and can contain no more than 100 parts per million added sulfites. Use of Organic certification logos on the back labels is optional.

Hopefully you will find this description useful when deciding on your next bottle of wine. Be sure to check back next week as I will discuss the mystical and mysterious, biodynamic approach that many wineries are taking. I think you will find this to be very interesting and entertaining at the same time.

Cheers!