Sure, it's made from grapes. But does that make wine eco-friendly?

Not unless those grapes are grown organically; and if they're grown locally, even better (Ideal Bite claims that "a local wine always trumps an organic one if it's shipped from far away." In fact, they report that the average wine shipment adds over 3 million pounds of CO2 emissions into the air - that's like 994 round-trip flights from France to Napa!)  

Here's specifically what to look for when shopping for organic or eco-friendly wine:

"USDA-certified organic" means that the wine was produced without herbicides and pesticides and with no added sulfites, preservatives that help wine maintain its color and taste but that can cause serious allergic reactions and headaches in susceptible people. (Sulfites occur naturally, so no wine is sulfite free.)

"Made from organically grown grapes" means grapes were grown without pesticides or chemicals; some sulfites may have been added as a preservative. If you're allergic, read the label carefully.

"Sustainable" may indicate the vineyard practices pesticide-free viticulture, using sheep to suppress weeds and owls to kill rodents. However, "sustainable" is not as meaningful as "organic" unless it is backed up by independent third-party certification.

"Biodynamic" practices rely on viticulture techniques that build healthy soil and keep the vineyard in tune with the cycles of the sun, moon, and planets. When certified by the Demeter Association, it's safe to assume the vineyard met standards for biodynamic production.

Whether you're having a party or just want to enjoy wine with dinner, these organic brands are worth a taste:

Benziger (biodynamic-California; shown in picture above)

Ca'del Solo (biodynamic-California)

Cullen (organic-Western Australia)

Emiliana (organic-Chile)

Four Gates (organic, kosher-California)

Frey Vineyards (organic-California)

Frog's Leap (organic-California)

Grgich Hills (biodynamic-California)

Santa Julia (organic-Argentina)

Sobon Estate (organic-California)

Yarden Chardonnay (organic, kosher-Golan Heights)

But don't forget to look locally first. All 50 states produce wine.

Want more options? Visit  Trade Organic Wine.

Our guide to green party planning guide will help, too.

Enjoy!

Comments

[JessTrev]

If you're ever in Dry Creek, be sure to go to Preston Vineyards - my cousins have delicious organic wine, homemade bread from their forno, and organic veggies from their gardens for sale. Plus bocce!!

[Brent Harrison]

Diane,

Thanks for the post. If you are interested in learning more about biodynamic wines, wines grown from organic grapes or organic wines, please check out Organic Wine Review: http://www.organicwinereview.com/

Each day we post a video review of an organic wine.

Here is some more basic information about organic designations in the wine industry: http://www.organicwinereview.com/organics/

Cheers,
Brent

[Diane MacEachern]

Thanks for sharing this. It looks like a great resource.

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Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material. Mead is a wine that is made with honey being the primary ingredient after water.

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