While the consumer market for organic beverages, including wine, continues to grow, some producers are encouraging retailers to help bolster consumers’ understanding of the differences among wines in this arena.
Paolo Mario Bonetti, president of Organic Vintners Inc., noted there are two categories of organic wine—organic wine and wine made with organic grapes. “Both of these categories are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and chemicals,” he said. “They are both produced and bottled in a facility that is also certified organic—no mixing with conventional grapes is permitted.”
The major difference comes in the use of sulfites, which are added to most wines as a preservative agent. Bonetti said: “Sulfites are a naturally occurring by-product from the fermentation of wine grapes. In addition, winemakers have historically added sulfur dioxide to wine to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and wild yeasts, and to prevent spoilage or oxidation in the bottle.”
Katrina Frey of Frey Vineyards agreed that there are still challenges in educating retailers and consumers about the organic wine category. “There is still some confusion about organic wines vs. wines made with organically grown grapes,” she said. “According to USDA, only wines processed without sulfites and using organic grapes are organic wines. Wineries that add sulfites but use organically grown grapes are not allowed to label their wine with the USDA organic seal and may not call their wines ‘organic wine’.”
Because sulfites do occur during fermentation of wine grapes, there are detectable levels in all wines. The difference in the organic arena is that wines labeled “organic” contain no added sulfites; those labeled as “made with organic grapes” contain under 100 parts per million (PPM) of sulfites. Conventional wines are permitted to contain up to 350 ppm sulfites. “It is helpful for retailers to have information close by regarding the sulfite issue, as many people believe organic wines do not contain sulfites,” Bonetti said.
Many suppliers provide educational information such as shelf talkers or bottle tags to help in the education process. “Retailers do need to make a distinction between organic wine and wine made with organic grapes,” said Phil LaRocca, marketing director, LaRocca Vineyards. “Education and clear labeling are musts. Consider that more than 60 percent of wine drinkers are female, and most organic buyers are educated women. They’re willing to pay a serious premium for an organic product, but they’re looking for 100 percent organic.”