Guide: Organic Wine – What It Is and How It's Produced

A brief but important premise: organic wine does not mean "better" or lower in sulfites; it is simply the legal definition of a product that adheres to certain rules and a specific production process. Until February 9, 2012, European regulations did not include a definition of organic wine, but it was possible to indicate on the label "wine made from organic grapes"...

by WineAtWine
Wine at Wine Editorial Team

Guide: Organic Wine – What It Is and How It's Produced

A brief but important premise: organic wine does not mean "better" or lower in sulfites; it is simply the legal definition of a product that adheres to certain rules and a specific production process.
Until February 9, 2012, European regulations did not include a definition of organic wine, but it was possible to indicate on the label "wine made from organic grapes"; in this regard, countries such as the USA, Chile, Australia and South Africa were well ahead of old Europe.
For wines produced before August 2012, regulations allow continued sale under the old designation.
Organic farming is a cultivation system aimed at producing without the use of synthetically manufactured products, without the use of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), relying solely on soil fertility and organic products.
Therefore, organic fertilizers, crop rotations and maintenance of soil composition are the cornerstones of this type of cultivation.

In the fight against pests and disease, the ideal would be to use "biological" tools (such as organisms that "clean" crops of pests), but conventional products are also permitted.
The task of verifying compliance with the relevant regulations – which we won't bore you with – is entrusted to private bodies.

Organic viticulture requires:

1. a prohibition on the use of synthetic chemical products for vine cultivation;

2. incompatibility with the use of GMOs;

3. a "conversion" period of at least three years for any winegrower wishing to transition from conventional to organic farming. During this period, the producer may not display the EU organic logo or use the specific designation, but may write "wine made from grapes under conversion to organic farming".

4. the use of chemical herbicides is prohibited.

The use of copper is permitted up to 6 kg/ha per year, with the aim of prohibiting its use in the future.

Some researchers have argued that organic food has a higher presence of mycotoxins, natural substances produced by fungi.

Regarding the use of sulfites, the regulations have set the maximum limits as follows:

red wines with residual sugars up to 2g/l: 100mg/l (compared to 150mg/l for conventional)
white and rosé wines with residual sugars up to 2g/l: 150mg/l (compared to 200mg/l for conventional)
for all other wines, sulfite levels must be reduced by 30mg/l compared to the limits set for conventional wines.

From this regulation it follows that an organic wine does not necessarily contain fewer sulfites than a "classic" wine, since one can simply "play" with the sugar content.
It is also important to know that the following are not permitted: