Keeping it Natural With Organic Wines
Author: Phillip Waiwright
With the growing interest in organic food, it is no surprise there is also a growing demand for organic wine. Generally organic wines cost more as there is limited production and there are lower yields in the organic vineyards than in vineyards maintained with non-organic pesticides and fertilizers.
What is the exact definition of an organic wine? An organic wine is defined in most countries as a wine produced from grapes grown organically and that has no, or a limited amount of, sulphites. Many people prefer to buy organic wine because they are interested in reducing their carbon footprint, appreciate the flavour of organically produced wine and are seeking the health benefits of organic produce.
Organic wine is wine made from grapes grown organically and is then produced in a process that does not use preservatives or uses the absolute minimum required to protect the wine quality. The process begins with the farming techniques used to produce the high quality grapes and ends with the method used for fermentation.
Organic Wine Flavour and Preservation
Organic wine offers some very special qualities. Many of the wines are made without sulphites. Technically an organic wine does not have to be sulphite free but can simply be made with organically grown grapes. Interestingly, sulphites are avoided by a large number of wine drinkers.
In conventional wine making, sulphites are added to increase the stability and preservation of the wine. In organic wines you will find a selection of both sulphite-free and low-sulphite wines. White wines are fermented without the skins and seeds so they usually need a minimum amount of sulphites since the wine has a lower amount of preserving tannins. Red wines are fermented with the skins so they have more natural preservatives in the form of tannins. You should only purchase a bottle of sulphite-free or minimum-sulphite organic wine if you intend on drinking it shortly after purchase.
Competing on an Even Basis
Wine lovers are sometimes surprised to discover the growing enchantment with organic wines. Not only are they produced in a way that causes the least amount of environmental harm, the wines are flavourful and award-winning. The organic wine market is just beginning to flourish and it is expected to grow tremendously as people become more and more environmentally aware.
Organic winemaking differs from non-organic methods primarily in the use of fertilizers and pesticides. However, there are many other subtle differences such as the amount of sulphites which also define organic winemaking. The organic winemaker must pay even more attention to the details of the process as related to grape selection and the filtering process.
Many people insist on drinking organic wine because they feel it has more personality. Organically grown wine is processed less and relies on grape perfection for flavour. For those who want to lighten their carbon footprint while also discovering the depth of individuality wine can achieve, organic wine is the only choice.
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