To Bio or not to Bio. Sense and nonsense about organic wine.

To Bio or not to Bio. The sense and nonsense of organic wine.

Is organic wine always better?

Since 2012 the EU has approved and regulated the term "organic wine". Previously there was only wine made from organically grown grapes. Now the winemaking process in the cellar is also officially recognised as organic. Demand for organic, biodynamic, and so-called "natural" and "orange" wine is rising. Some winemakers have even brought the horse back out of the stable and listed their heavy, soil-compacting tractors for sale. But is an organic wine always better for people and nature?

So what's the story?

Before a wine grower is allowed to put the EU logo — or for example Demeter or Ecovin — on the label, they must meet a whole range of requirements and pay a significant sum for certification. Many smaller wine growers therefore work organically or biodynamically but without a certificate. So it's important to look into the winemaker and how they work. Moreover, there are rules that raise questions when you consider the full winemaking process.

Mildew

Organic winemakers are only allowed to spray with copper sulphate solutions against diseases (mainly powdery mildew aka oïdium and downy mildew aka peronospora). This introduces the heavy metal copper into the soil. This copper-based spray is better known in the wine world as Bordeaux mixture, recognisable by its copper-green colour on vine leaves.

Strangely, many certifiers even require organic wine growers to spray exclusively with Bordeaux mixture. They use it as little as possible, of course — but when it's warm and humid, they really can't avoid it. It can even happen that they need to spray more often than a conventionally working wine grower.

Others (such as our winery Storr) therefore choose so-called systemic, biodegradable products — without heavy metals like copper, and without the need to apply them with a diesel-guzzling tractor. This also reduces soil compaction from the weight of the tractor, leading to a healthier, living soil. But those wines cannot be called organic. So it's all a bit more nuanced than it seems.

Biodynamic wines

Biodynamic — or organic-dynamic — goes considerably further than organic viticulture. Biodynamic wines are made according to the anthroposophical principles of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and anthropologist who lived from 1861 to 1925. The vineyard is treated as an ecosystem that must be completely in balance. This means striving for biodiversity with plants, insects, and natural pest control. Homeopathic preparations strengthen the life force and vitality of the vineyard. The position of the moon and other celestial bodies determines the timing of many activities — including pruning, harvesting, and bottling. Biodynamic wines usually carry the Demeter certification mark in addition to the EU organic logo.

Naturnah and Terra Vitis

In German-speaking countries, the sustainable way of working is called "nachhaltig" or "naturnah" — close to nature. On our wines you'll see "sustainable" when the winemaker works this way. You can go even further than just organic or biodynamic: you can involve the entire supply chain to minimise environmental impact, and look at working conditions too. This holistic approach is what Terra Vitis advocates — a French initiative.