Welcome back! I hope that you are finding this information helpful when it comes to choosing great wine! This month, let’s talk about wine labels and the difference in how the grapes are grown and processed.
Made With Organic Grapes
The grapes are grown organically but the winemaker is not certified as a USDA Organic Producer. No chemical pesticides, herbicides or GMOs can be used. Sulfite levels must be 100 parts per million (ppm) or under. Native yeasts can be used but are not mandatory.
Biodynamically Grown & Produced
The grapes are produced with farming techniques that respect the land and environment such as crop rotation and dry farming. Synthetic pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, fertilizers, growth stimulants or GMOs cannot be used. Sulfites cannot exceed 100ppm. Only native yeasts are used.
Sustainably Produced
Growers use environmentally friendly production methods such as solar power, water reclamation systems, crop rotation, and recycling. Limited use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. Sulfites are not tightly regulated but are typically kept under the legal limit of 300 ppm.
Sulfite-Free
To be called sulfite-free, a sulfite test must not be able to detect the presence of sulfites in the wine because they are at such low levels, less than 10ppm. “No Added Sulfites” means that the winery did not add sulfites to the wine but there can still be naturally occuring sulfites.
With this information, now we can make better educated decisions when buying clean wine. Cheers!