'Organic' wines and'voodoo' farming

July 06, 2008

For a wine to be labeled "Organic Wine" as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the grapes must be from vineyards that are farmed without synthetic fertilizer, conventional pesticides, or, genetically, engineered plant material.

In addition, sulfates cannot be added to the wine as a preservative!

However, unfortunately, wines made without sulfates can re-ferment or oxidize in the bottle – just ask any winemaker. That's why many vintners use sulfates on "organic" grapes to keep them from re-fermenting and sometimes changing the wine "taste" and "blowing the cork.

"If their wines contain 100 parts per million, they are still permitted to label their products as "organic wines."

Currently there are two types of "organic' farming: bio dynamic farming and natural farming.

Biodynamic farming, which is beginning to be popular in California and the West Coast, is what I call "voodoo" farming. Based on a series of lectures given by the Australian philosopher, Rudolf Stainer, in 1924, biodynamic agriculture views the farm as a single organism with the plants, animals, crops, soil, air and celestial influences – such as the Moon and stars – all being interconnected.

According to Stainer, by balancing these elements, the farmer in theory "makes his property self-sustaining, thus eliminating the need for artificial nutrients or pesticides."Natural farming, on the other hand, is a small, strict, mostly French movement.

Natural winemaking uses organically grown grapes that are picked by hand and are fermented with native (not manufactured) yeast. No sulfates or other additives are added to this wine.

Now, when you taste your favorite wine, do you think you can tell the difference? Is it "natural" or "organic?"

Buddy Harrell, Bennett Vineyards