Does organic wine taste better and how sustainable is it anyway?

Back in the day, organic wine did not have the best reputation and you would hear people who tried it saying they weren't planning on repeating the experiment any time soon.

No longer.

"You can't taste the difference any more these days," says Ernst Büscher, spokesman for the German Wine Institute (DWI).

Many top vinyards produce organic wine. But what does that mean? He spelled out what makes these products different to conventionally-produced wines.

Classic or organic: difference starts in the vineyard

In organic viticulture, farmers do not use any mineral fertilizers, unlike in conventional viticulture, he says. "Instead, they apply bark mulch or compost to the vines to provide nutrients and improve soil life."

In order to bring further nutrients from natural sources close to the vines, organic winegrowers also sow so-called legumes between the rows of trellises, says Büscher. "These are different kinds of clover, alfalfa, lupins or vetches, which improve soil quality and bind and store nitrogen from the air."

When these plants are mulched, the nitrogen becomes available to the vines.

The advantage of natural nitrogen sources over chemical mineral fertilizers is that "2 tonnes of climate-damaging CO2 are released to produce one tonne of nitrogen. It's also very energy-intensive," Büscher says.

You also sense the organic approach in how plants are protected. In conventional viticulture, farmers use synthetic chemical agents to combat any fungal diseases. But Büscher says if you run an organic vineyard, you can only use only natural substances such as copper preparations for downy mildew and sulphur or baking soda for powdery mildew.

In addition, weeds under the vines may only be removed mechanically and not with herbicides, says Büscher.

Biodynamic winegrowers also try to use natural plant strengthening agents. They use horn silica to promote light absorption by the leaves to improve the growth and ripening process of the grapes.

Herbal extracts such as those made from horsetail help the vines to defend themselves against fungal infections by making the leaf surface harder, he adds.

Cellars managed differently too

Different rules also apply in the wine cellar with organic farmers having to avoid the use of genetic engineering in the production of treatment agents for organic wine.

The use of some substances is also regulated, such as the sulphite content, which has to be far lower in organic wines.

Why do you need sulphur in wine at all? "Adding sulphur to wine in the barrel protects the wine from secondary fermentation and other microbiological influences. It also helps to prevent oxidation, which means that the wine stays fresh for longer and can be stored for longer," says Büscher.

This also applies to bottle ageing. "Without sulphur, the air between the seal and the liquid would oxidise the wine in every single bottle."

Getting an official organic label

If a winemaker decides to use organic methods, they cannot just go ahead and write "organic" on the label. "Organic wine production must be registered with a monitoring association and it takes three years to complete the conversion period until you get the final certification," says Büscher.

Worldwide, there are several certifying associations, each with their own label, such as the EU organic label. The largest organic association in viticulture is Ecovin, which has around 2,540 member companies.

The area used for organic viticulture in this country is continuously growing as consumers take more interest in healthier products. "While in 2000 it was just 1,700 hectares, by 2022 the area had grown to 13,800 hectares," says Büscher.

Pros and cons of going organic

Winegrowers who decide to do so have to weigh up the pros and cons. After all, the approved pesticides only have a preventive effect. "If it rains very often, it is a challenge for organic farms because fungi can spread. This is because the pesticides are simply washed off," says Büscher.

In contrast, conventional wineries have the advantage of being able to stop fungal diseases by using pesticides. "These products have a curative effect and are more efficient," he says. All that makes the business much more certain than if you go organic.

All in all, organic winegrowers often suffer more losses during a rainy season - so it's always a question of costs, too.

Many businesses opt to produce mostly organically but do not go ahead and get the full certification, reasoning that they will try to use as few chemical or synthetic agents as possible, but as much as necessary.

A step further: sustainable certification

Wine-growing businesses also promise their products are sustainable and that too spells additional work and investment.

"When it comes to sustainable certification, the 200-plus criteria include conserving resources and keeping your carbon footprint as low as possible throughout the entire wine production process," says Büscher. In Germany, he says, several thousand hectares of wine-growing area have already been certified.

This approach involves a more holistic approach to plant protection. "Farmers carry out an assessment of the respective active ingredients in relation to the possible harmful effects on humans and the environment. Overall, however, more resources are available than in organic viticulture," says Büscher.

There are also social and economic components in sustainable certification, which consumers can spot by looking out for labels that will say the wine is made fairly, such as Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW), the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) Scheme in the UK or EcoStep in Germany. These include criteria such as whether producers ensure employees are paid fairly and are provided with further training.

Meanwhile minimizing carbon emissions involves things like driving as little as possible in the vineyards or buying solar panels. "It is also recommended to switch to lightweight glass bottles, because less CO2 is used to produce them," Büscher says.

Plus, he adds, "It also depends on how the wine gets to the customer. For example, it can be more sustainable to send the wine by post than to deliver it to Hamburg yourself by car."