What does organic wine mean? What is biodynamic wine? Are natural wine and organic wine the same thing? Is wine vegan or not? As the world of oenology also moves towards eco-awareness and sustainability, consumers are faced with more terms to learn, doubts and questions.
Organic or BIO, biodynamic and natural are terms that often describe overlapping, though not interchangeable, wine qualities. Let us clarify what distinguishes certified organic wine, what is technically meant by adopting biodynamic practices in the vineyard, and what is permitted in natural winemaking.
When is a wine organic?
What does organic mean when referring to wine? As with other food products, the term “organic” or “from organic farming” indicates that the alcoholic beverage is produced with organically grown grapes. This wording appears in the sales denomination when at least 95% of the components of agricultural origin are organic.
The additional ingredients used in the winemaking process do not necessarily have to be organic.
Let us now debunk a myth: that of organic wine without sulphites. Sulphites are present: the natural ones in the wine itself and any that may be added to stabilise the wine, which may not be organic either. When added in a controlled proportion, they do not make the wine any less worthy of the BIO designation.
You may also hear organic wines referred to as ecological or organic wines, but there are unmistakable signs on the label of a certified organic wine, established by the European Community. In accordance with regulations and guidelines, in Italy these are: the white and green organic logo, the identification number of the control body, and the place where the grapes were grown.
What is biodynamic wine?
Biodynamic winemaking is a practice dating back almost a century. Unlike organic winemaking, which differs between the European Union and, for example, the United States, the definition of biodynamics does not change from country to country.
Launched in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, biodynamics is a cultivation method based on an astronomical calendar that connects the Earth with the rest of the Cosmos.
Fire, water, air, earth, preparations of plant and animal origin, and a pinch of esotericism are among the main ingredients of the biodynamic method. Microorganisms are in symbiosis with otherworldly energies, and agricultural activities faithfully follow the phases of the moon.
There is a tendency to associate, and unfortunately sometimes confuse, biodynamic and organic. This misunderstanding arises from the fact that biodynamic wine production also uses organic practices: for example, no pesticides are used, but rather natural antagonists of pests and weeds, and fertilisation is carried out with compost rather than chemical fertilisers.
To clarify: organic wine is not necessarily biodynamic, but a biodynamic wine is often organic.
Biodynamic wines also contain sulphites among their components: those that develop naturally during fermentation, as well as added ones to stabilise their characteristics.
Biodynamic wine is certified by Demeter, an international body named after the Greek goddess Demeter, which places its mark on products that already bear the organic label, following further strict checks.
Natural wine, also organic and biodynamic
The idea of natural wine, born around 1980, is almost “romantic”: it evokes the utmost respect for nature and biodiversity, and the absence of waste. In reality, to date, there is no single, official, legally valid definition of “natural wine”. The term generally refers to wines produced from hand-picked grapes from traditional grape varieties, with minimal intervention by the winemaker in the cellar. No additives, no filtering or fining, no forcing of fermentation, only indigenous yeasts. Above all, no added sulphites (commonly used for preservation and not to be confused with natural sulphites, which are present in all wines).
Natural wines are usually not aged in oak barrels.
In practice, natural wines tend to be unstructured wines, often appearing cloudy, and may have an inconsistent taste even within the same vintage. Since they have no added sulphites, their stability is very limited.
Do natural wines and organic wines have anything in common? Naturally, a natural wine could be certified organic; indeed, although they start from the same principles, natural wine production follows much stricter rules during the winemaking stages in the cellar. Of course, natural wine can also fall within the category of biodynamic wines, if the winemaker complies with the criteria discussed above.
The truth, however, is that natural wine producers do not like labels and certifications, and also shun designations of origin. Natural wine therefore remains shrouded in an aura of poetic mystery, although it is possible to buy natural wine online or from wine shops, like any other wine.
Is wine vegan or not? Is it vegetarian?
Why are some wines not considered vegan, and sometimes not even vegetarian, if the ingredients are grapes and yeast?
The truth is that, in addition to grapes, wine production sometimes uses products and additives that may be of animal origin; it is in these cases that wine ceases to be vegan. Wine is not vegan when it is clarified with isinglass, caseins (milk proteins) or albumins (egg proteins).
So what does vegan wine mean? Simply that, if it has been filtered, the procedure was carried out using products derived from plant-based proteins, extracted from the fermentation yeasts themselves or from legumes.
Wine remains suitable for consumption by those following a vegetarian diet even if animal-derived products are used, provided they do not involve killing the animal itself. Albumins and caseins are therefore permitted in vegetarian wines, but not isinglass.
For the time being, the indication on the label of a vegan or vegetarian wine is solely at the discretion of producers. The winery may request the relevant certifications only from private bodies. In Italy, there is the AVI (Italian Vegetarian Association), which promotes the “Vegetarian Vegan Quality®” mark, guaranteeing that even the adhesives used to apply the label to the bottle contain no components of animal origin.
Further reading
Related topics on wine quality and sustainability: Valli Ossolane DOC, sulphites in wine: myths and truths, climate change.
