We have recently received many questions about the definition of organic wine and how sulfites play a role in its designation as such. First and foremost, let me say that organic farming has generally accepted practices around the world and in its simplest form, is very similar from country to country. All practice Earth-friendly farming techniques and respect the very inherent relationship with nature and the Earth. They are free of pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers and other synthetic chemicals. Generally, most of the confusion comes in regarding how different agencies in different countries certify products as organic.

There are two primary opinions in the world that help to both provide clarity and confusion on these topics. First, there is the opinion of the United States/FDA or NOP (National Organics Program). Secondly, there is the stance of the European Nations and their respective certifying agencies.

In the United States, in order for imported wines to be labeled organic, they can contain no more than 10 ppm (parts per million) of sulfites. And to be labeled as “Wine made from organically grown grapes”, they can contain no more than 100 ppm of sulfites. In Europe their standards are a bit more, some would say loose we would say, realistic.  The European certifying agencies refereed to earlier allow vineyards to use up to 80 ppm for the reds and 110 ppm for the whites.

So where do we stand with our wines and the amount of sulfites used in their production and their certifications?

Currently, our wines are being analyzed by the BATF laboratory to determine the exact amount of sulfites present in our product. According to the information provided by our vineyards, the reds, on average, have about 45 ppm of total sulfites, while the whites and the sparkling wines have about 75 ppm. We will update these numbers with the actual findings from the BATF laboratories, once available. We know that all of our producers are striving to use the smallest possible amount of sulfites necessary to allow their wines to properly mature.

The certifying agencies that our vineyards use are internationally recognized organizations. For the organic designations, both Ecocert and Agriculture Biologique are used and for the Biodynamic farmers, Demeter handles the certifications.

There will be more information available soon on this site to answer questions regarding Biodynamic Farming and other relevant topics. If you have any questions or need clarification on any of this information, please contact me directly at the email address below.