Organic Wines : Why Should You Care?
" The idealist of today is the realist of tomorrow."
- Jawaharlal Nehru
By Véronique Raskin,
President & Founder
In recent years, we have received an increasing number of requests for information about organic wines. These requests emanate both from the public and the media. Questions we thought we had answered continue to be asked over and over again, namely: "What is an organic wine?" and "Why should consumers care about organic wines?" We are truly delighted with this steadily growing interest in what we do and why we do it, and therefore it is with much pleasure that we update you as to the status of organic wines, legal and otherwise.
For starters, what do we mean by Organic Wine? First and foremost, it's a wine made from certified organically grown grapes. The fundamental idea behind organic wine is that making wine from grapes grown without pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers is clearly better for our planet AND therefore, in all likelihood, better for you, the wine drinker. Please read our presentation on the technical definition of Organic Wines here.
Now let's turn to the second question that we are perennially asked: "Why should consumers care about & choose organic wines?" Well, let's take a look at the alternative. Conventional wines are the result of conventional agricultural practices. These were adopted in large part after WWII and rely heavily on chemicals. The problem with that approach is that these chemicals damage the soil, the vine, the air, the water, the farmers, and, in all likelihood, all of us down the road. Not only that, this approach triggers a destructive cycle of poisoning. Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides throw the natural harmony of the vineyard completely off balance. Chemical fertilizers strip the soil of minerals essential to its health, thus necessitating an ever-increasing reliance on artificial inputs to restore what has been lost without ever finding the natural balance again.
There is an enormous amount of scientific evidence documenting how pesticides, weed killers, fungicides and other chemical substances damage the soil and the plant, its fruits and everyone else in their path. The link to an increase in cancers mong workers is now obvious. Grapes are no exception and wine is merely liquid grapes. Make no mistake, grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed crops around. When systemic pesticides are sprayed on the grapes to protect them from disease, they can end up as minute residues in the wine.
Thankfully, there is the long term approach, namely, organic farming (mind you, the term "sustainable" has been hijacked by people eager to do something for the environment but not necessarily following organic principles). There is absolutely no question that organic farming methods are better for the Earth and all of her inhabitants. They are based on traditional, common sense farming methods which are not harmful to people or the environment. Like the Chinese acupuncturist, the organic farmer's primary objective is balance. Therefore the key to the success of organic farming is maintaining a balanced, fertile soil. Why? Because a healthy soil is likely to produce a healthy plant capable of fighting off disease. How is that achieved without the use of heavy-duty chemicals? Well, let's bear in mind that our forefathers did manage to reap some fruits from their land before the advent of Malathion & RoundUp!
Let's briefly review some of the organic techniques & tools. "First do no harm," said Hippocrates, the father of medicine. That is our motto as well. Therefore, instead of chemical fertilizers, we spread manure or algae in the vineyards. Instead of spraying pesticides, we promote biodiversity. That means we grow plants other than vines in and around the vineyard. Why? Because biodiversity helps regulate the vineyard soil by attracting beneficial flora and fauna into the vineyards, such as insects, spiders and predatory mites. Cover crops provide shelter and food (pollen, nectar) to "beneficial bugs" which decreases/replaces the need for insecticides or pesticides.
What cannot be fully controlled through biodiversity can still be managed organically, through the use of naturally occurring plant or mineral extracts, which leave no residues in the soil. As for weeds, we let them grow, and we mow periodically so that the cut weeds decompose back into the ground, thus providing organic fertilizer. Needless to say this approach is much more labor-intensive than the conventional quick fixes. In fact, it costs on average 20% more per unit, and the yield will be less. In our opinion the costs are more than worth the outcome by any measure you want to use. And the reliance on petroleum derivatives has been largely proven to be a recipe for disaster in the long term!
All right, all right, you say! Organic viticulture is better for the Earth and probably for me, but are the wines any good? That's what I want to know! Well, what would be the point of producing something, organic or otherwise, that no one can drink? Relax, nowadays organic wines as a big family stand consistently above their conventional counterparts in terms of flavor and taste, and are as reasonable in price and varied in styles. In many instances they reach to the top like the world renowned Romanée-Conti, organically grown for decades already, and La Coulée de Serrant, an exceptional biodynamic white wine, a stunning experience! All in all, wines made from organically grown grapes taste more flavorful and "cleaner". That is our perception and the feedback we regularly receive from folks with or without a great wine knowledge. Consumers AND critics are more and more agreeing that they do taste and feel better.
In short, why do we encourage you to choose organic wines? Well, first because they are very good, second because we feel they should become the norm instead of the alternative, and because when you choose them you help us break the "circle of poison." There is absolutely no question that organic agriculture is the way OF the future and the way TO our future, therefore we should all support it wherever and whenever we can!
