Drink Up!
By David Setley
Happy Spring! In April, we witness Mother Earth reawakening from her winter sleep. I remember celebrating Arbor Day as a young boy by taking a break from classes to go outside and plant a tree. Earth Day became a spring holiday in support of the environment in the 1970s and now is celebrated globally on April 22.
EarthDay.org has established “Our Power, Our Planet” as the 2025 theme. The wine industry has embodied this theme for decades by proactively adopting strategies such as sustainable vineyard practices, a zero-carbon footprint, and biodynamic agriculture. Many wine producers make wines using organically grown grapes and vegan-friendly techniques as well. In this article, I will explain what these terms mean and offer examples from wineries that have made these investments to benefit our planet. If you find it interesting, mark your calendar and join me this Earth Day for a wine-tasting event titled “Sustainable Wines are Divine.” Visit https://passionvines.com/events for details.
Sustainable agriculture practices have become more common in the wine industry. A sustainable certification requires the vineyard to use practices that conserve energy and water, and to promote the long-term health of the earth and the surrounding environment. Wine production takes a holistic corporate social responsibility approach to sustainability, following the three pillars of economy, society, and the environment. California is a leader in the United States through their statewide sustainability program, with about one-third of vineyards representing more than 85% of commercial wine production that is sustainably certified. J. Lohr Wineries is one of the many Golden State winemakers to earn this certification, with vineyards that produce the company’s very popular Arroyo Seco Monterey Chardonnay, the Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir, the Paso Robles Merlot, and my favorite, the Tower Road Petite Sirah. It is important to note that sustainable practices have been utilized globally for centuries, though not all vineyards invest in the cost or take the steps to become certified.
The term “organic” has been popular in grocery stores for decades. Globally, the market share of organic wines is between 4-5% (prowein.com, 2023). Organic wines are those produced with organically grown grapes, meaning they are grown without the use of synthetic chemicals or pesticides, including added sulfites. This does not necessarily mean there aren’t other nonchemical additives added to the wine, however. The approved additive list varies from country to country and may, among other things, include yeast, egg whites, or rennet, an enzyme produced in the stomachs of mammals. These additives assist in the filtration process of wine prior to bottling. Certified vegan-friendly wines are those that do not contain additives from animal products.
You may be familiar with the term “sulfites,” the sulfur dioxide (SO2) found in wines that many wine consumers blame for causing headaches, especially when they drink red wines. Sulfites serve as a shelf stabilizer and preservative in wine and other foods, slowing them from going bad. For a small percentage of people with a particular sensitivity, sulfites may indeed be the cause of those headaches. For most people, the alcohol level is likely to blame. Drinking one glass of water with each glass of wine should minimize the likelihood of a headache.
Sulfites are present in many consumables, including cured meats, cheese, canned soup, dried fruit, French fries, etc. This compound naturally occurs in wine, so virtually all wine has some sulfites at low levels. A good quality dry red wine contains about 50 parts per million sulfites. In the United States, a wine identified as organic is “a wine made from organically grown grapes without added sulfites.” So, if sulfites or other synthetic additives are a concern for you, organic wines may be a good option. The Allumea wines from Italy are a great example of excellent organic wines. They are available in the Allumea Rosso, a Montepulciano wine from Tuscany, the Allumea Nero D’Avola, a Merlo from Sicily, and the Allumea Grillo, a Chardonnay also from Sicily. All of these wines are vegan-friendly as well.
Have you heard of Avaline wines? Actress Cameron Diaz is a partner in this wine company and has established total transparency as a corporate objective. All wines produced under the brand are 100% organically grown, vegan-friendly, and have no added sugar, no added sulfites, and no chemical additives. Avaline wines are fermented “dry,” leaving no residual sugar, ensuring all wines have zero grams of sugar per serving. If sugar intake is a concern for you, give these wines a try. Avaline wines are produced in several varietals, including the Avaline Red, Rosé, and Pinot Noir wines from France, the Avaline White and Sparkling varietals from Spain, and the Avaline Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State.
Lastly, biodynamic winemaking is a practice that incorporates aspects of organic and sustainable agriculture. The philosophy behind biodynamic winemaking goes back a hundred years to an Austrian philosopher named Rudolph Steiner. The basis is a belief that everything in the universe — the earth, the moon, the planets, etc. — is interconnected. Biodynamic winemaking promotes activities that promote this harmony.
Benziger Family Wineries vineyards are all triple certified as Sustainable, Biodynamic, and Organic. Try the Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon as an outstanding example. Mike Benzinger says, “at its core, Biodynamics is an energy management system.” It works on a calendar of activities that include Fruit Days, Root Days, Flower Days, and Leaf Days. Prescribed viticultural activities of everything from watering to harvesting are allowed (or forbidden) based on the day. Montinore Estates in Oregon has been practicing biodynamics since the early 2000s and received the Biodynamic Certification in 2008. The winery states that these practices are the most complete approach to land stewardship and the highest level of ethical farming practices in the industry. Montinore produces outstanding certified biodynamic and organic wines including its Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Reserve, its Pinot Gris, and the unique Montinore Estate L’Orange wine.
Cheers to the wines that attempt to keep us and our planet healthier and more sustainable. As always, contact me with any questions or comments at dsetley@passionvines.com. Until next time, Happy Wining!
David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.
