As a sommelier and oenophile, I always get asked the question: “What is organic wine, and what makes it organic?”
Organic wine is produced through sustainable farming practices. Viticulture is an important and fundamental part of producing wine, and organic farmers place an emphasis on wanting to make sure they produce grapes in the most natural and least invasive process. While organic farming methods may differ across the world, the use of any artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides are typically avoided. In Canada, if a wine is made from at least 70%, 95%, and 100% organic grapes, then they would be respectively termed “Made with Organic Grapes”, “Organic”, and “100% Organic”.
You may have also heard of the word biodynamic. Biodynamic farming is organic farming that undergoes a more rigorous process, with farmers further aligning their viticultural practices to nature.
Regardless, there has been a growing awareness in reducing waste and carbon footprint when it comes to winemaking. From 2019 to 2020, organic wine witnessed a growth of 20% and continues to grow today. There are a lot of different sustainable/organic/biodynamic wine certifications in the market. Some of these include USDA Organic, “Made with Organic Grapes”, EU Organic, EMS, CCSW, SIP Certified, and Certified Biodynamic.
If you are interested in tasting wines from sustainable producers, please check out our selection of delicious organic wines from Phantom Creek Estates Winery and The Okanagan Crush Pad which can be found in our subscription bundles and occasion packs.
Okanagan Crush Pad
Okanagan Crush Pad was founded by Christine Colette and Steve Lornie in 2011 and is responsible for the production of several wine brands including Free Form, Haywire, Narrative, and Bizou + Yukon. While the winery is located in Summerland, Okanagan Crush Pad owns over 400+ acres of land in Summerland and Oliver, with each site certified organic.
Organic Crush Pad
Located in South Okanagan, Phantom Creek Estates is a family-owned and world-class winery that focuses on producing quality Bordeaux-style reds, and Alsatian-style whites, along with other Okanagan signatures such as Syrah and Viognier. 2021 is Phantom Creek Estate’s first certified organic vintage as it has recently been awarded organic certification by Ecocert Canada.
Cheers,
Jonathan Chan
Jonathan Chan is a sommelier and wine connoisseur at Paired who takes joy in sharing his passion for wine with others. He is also the host of our virtual wine tasting events where Paired Club members can come together for a fun-filled, interactive tasting experience of your select wines!
