Nowadays, there are a lot of buzzwords floating around the wine world that can indicate that a wine was produced in a way that is considered sustainable. I’m a huge proponent of all things sustainability and encourage all wine-lovers to purchase thoughtfully-made bottles. However, I understand that the average consumer may be wondering exactly what it means for the wine they chose to bring home with “Biodynamic” or “Natural” on the label. Fortunately, I’m here to help with a simple guide covering the words you may see on labels when going to pick up your next bottle of wine. There are, surprisingly, some words that I’ll be sharing below that have no official designation while there are some that have strict stipulations. With this quick guide, I hope to help you have a grasp of what these words mean to ensure that you're spending your wine money equipped with as much knowledge as possible. 

 

Let’s start with a few common terms that must meet certain criteria:

 

Organic: If this is noted on the bottle, it means that the grapes were grown without synthetic chemicals, like pesticides and fertilizers, in a way that complies with the USDA and most global organic certifications. This does not imply that there are no additives in the wine, only that the grapes were grown in compliance with the official designations. It’s important to keep in mind that requirements vary in different parts of the world. For example, in the United States there cannot be sulfites added to organic wines while in Europe they can be added but the levels are limited.

 

I lean organic in my purchasing in general, when possible, and love seeing this on a wine label. I especially like to see this on lower-priced wines where winemakers may be more inclined to cut corners with synthetic chemicals to save time and money.

 

Biodynamic: This is where we get really specific. The history of how this method of growing came about is quite interesting. The concept of Biodynamics stems from the idea that the universe is interconnected. Farming Biodynamically entails following the Biodynamic calendar which is tied to the lunar cycle and indicates when to prune, harvest, etc. Additionally, these wines are not permitted to have any additives and only natural means are used to manage the vineyard so there is no chemical interference. 

 

As you can imagine, it’s timely and costly to farm grapes this way and with that comes a higher price point. However, if you’re into the connectivity of all things in nature and sustainable farming practices, this is a great direction to go.

 

Vegan: When I first read vegan on a wine label, I immediately thought it was a silly designation. Wine-making doesn’t involve animals or animal by-products, right? However, there is a lesser-known process in winemaking called fining that actually can use methods that would keep a wine from being considered vegan. This process is called fining. Fining clarifies and stabilizes wine using certain agents that cling to yeasts, tannins, and proteins to remove them from the wine. Oddly enough, two of the agents used to accomplish this are egg whites and fish bladders. Yes, you read that right. Fining is a very normal practice and there are a variety of methods used nowadays, but these two are classic options. So, next time you read “Vegan” on a wine bottle, you will know it was fined using methods that involve nothing related to animals. Fining is a very normal wine-making practice and I personally don’t look for this on labels. However, I’m glad our vegan friends can be made aware and purchase how they’d like. 

 

Now, let’s get into a couple of the terms that do technically mean something but there is not an official definition. There is no organization vetting what’s taking place behind the scenes here, but they are still helpful when perusing the wine aisle. 

 

Natural: This is more of a concept than anything else. Natural wine indicates that the wine was made using low-intervention methods. That means you will likely see unfiltered wines that are foggy with sediment sitting at the bottom of the bottle and a bit of funk in the aroma and flavor. This is not always the case, but it’s what most people think of when natural wine is brought up. Essentially, a winemaker is trying to use the least possible amount of additives or technological steps to produce the wine and let it come to the consumers in the most “Natural” form possible. Clarity and stabilization have been integral steps in the winemaking process for thousands of years and winemakers that partake in the movement generally don’t implement these steps. It’s controversial but I will say I love some “Natty” wine! It can be interesting and fizzy in a way that a lot of typical wine isn’t. If you’re unfamiliar, I highly recommend giving it a go.

 

Sustainable: This essentially means that the wine was made keeping sustainable practices in mind. This could encompass anything from practicing water conservation to following Biodynamic practices. I think of it as an umbrella term demonstrating that the vineyard and winery are integrating sustainability in some way. For example, unless otherwise stated, the wine is likely not made with 100% organic grapes and can contain additives, but there is something going on deemed sustainable somewhere in the process. So, it’s not quite as meaningful as some of the terms above, but it doesn't hurt to support winemakers who care about sustainability in one way or another.

 

That concludes our lesson for today. Sustainability in wine is a vast subject and there is plenty more to delve into, if interested. That said, I hope this brief overview gives you the tools to push your sustainable wine purchasing to the next level.