With spring in the air and Earth Day just around the corner I thought many people, like me, might be starting to think a little greener. Not just as in the grass and trees but in wine choices as well. And with “green” being a somewhat confusing movement in the wine industry these days, I’ve defined some buzzwords below to make it easier to sift through all the eco jargon as it applies to wine.
Terms to Know
Sulphites: A natural component in all wines as a result of yeast producing sulfur dioxide (SO2) during the fermentation process, but also a chemical additive that is used to preserve wine.
Organic Grapes: Refers to grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. However, this does not mean everything in the entire winemaking process is done organically, meaning a wine can be made from organic grapes but not be an organic wine. Often additional sulphites are used with organic grapes (in the same way as non-organic) to preserve the wine.
Organic Wine: Refers to a wine that has been made completely organic, meaning everything from grape growing through to the completion of the winemaking. Therefore no extra sulphites have been added to the wine. Note: While no official Canadian standards have yet been set, you can find more information at www.ccof.org.
Biodynamic: Going beyond organic practice, this means that the vineyard is regarded as sustainable and its very own eco system. The ideas of natural composting are widely used and there are no artificial chemicals used in the soil or on the vines themselves. Vineyard maintenance is also done completely by an astrological calendar of signs which depict the perfect time for planting and harvest. This type of farming is based on the theories of a 1920’s philosopher named Rudolph Steiner.
Certified Organic Wineries in Canada
British Columbia
Working Horse Winery in Peachland (workinghorsewinery.com)
Summerhill Estates Winery in Kelowna (www.summerhill.bc.ca)
Rollingdale Winery in Kelowna (www.rollingdale.ca)
Forbidden Fruit Wines in Cawston (www.forbiddenfruitwines.com)
Ontario
Frogpond Farms in Niagara-on-the-Lake (www.frogpondfarm.ca)
SouthBrook Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake (www.southbrook.com)*
Malivoire Wine Company in Beamsville (www.malivoire.com)
Nova Scotia
L’Acadie Vineyards in Gaspereau Valley (lacadievineyards.ca)
(*also biodynamic certified)
So on Earth Day (April 21) make green entertaining you’re raison d’etre. Grab a bottle of eco-friendly wine and share it with friends and family.
Cheers,
Ange
Angela Aiello and Paxton Allewell's wine column can be read every Thursday on www.sweethome.ca/wine. They are wine specialists and the founders of the acclaimed iYellow Wine Club based in Toronto. For more info, check out their bio.