Organic Wine

Organic wine meaning

Organic wine is a certification and labeling category whose exact requirements depend on the jurisdiction. Certified grapes must be grown under the applicable organic farming rules, and only authorized cellar inputs and processes may be used. The term does not by itself mean that a wine was fermented with native yeast, left unfined, or made without technological intervention. European Union rules permit specified yeasts, enzymes, fining agents, and restricted sulfur-dioxide additions. In the United States, wine labeled “organic” may not contain added sulfites, although fermentation can produce sulfites naturally; wine labeled “made with organic grapes” may contain sulfur dioxide up to 100 ppm. Conversion periods and permitted farming materials also follow the relevant certification standard, so consumers should look for the certifier and exact label claim rather than treating “organic” as a single worldwide production method.

Sources: current EU list of products and substances permitted in organic wine; USDA organic wine labeling requirements.