1. Be mindful of both grape-farming and winemaking practices.
What happens at the vineyard and what happens at the winery are two different things. Don’t assume that the words “organic” or “made from organic grapes” — both of which refer largely to standards on the farm, not in the winery — mean the wine is additive-free or intervention-free. “The winery is where a lot of the additives sneak in,” says Nadel.
2. Seek out ingredient labels.
Unlike food, wines are not legally required to have ingredient labels, so if you can find a label at all, it’s a sign that the winemaker is committed to transparency. The practice of not revealing what goes into a bottle has been dubbed “black-box winemaking,” and it has received shockingly little pushback from consumers and regulators.
Meanwhile, some wineries, like Ridge and Bonny Doon, have voluntarily begun adding ingredient labels to their bottles.
3. Know what might be lurking in unlabeled wines.
It is virtually impossible to know what’s in an unlabeled wine. It can include ingredients that boost acidity (tartaric acid), reduce acidity (potassium carbonate), build fullness (gum arabic), add flavor (powdered tannins), enhance aromas (designer yeast strains), and more, says Bosker.
Though these additives have been approved for use in wine, some ingredients raise eyebrows among experts. One example is the additive Velcorin, or dimethyl dicarbonate, which is added to some wines as a chemical stabilizer and antimicrobial agent.
“Velcorin is used to stop microbial disco parties,” says Nadel. “But when you think about all the compounds in commercial agriculture that are meant to kill metabolic processes and you put that into your own body, it’s no wonder allergies and illnesses are on the rise.”
4. Pay attention to “organic” versus “made with organic grapes.”
This is especially important if you’re concerned about sulfite intake. Organic wines are made with grapes that have been grown without synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, or pesticides (though, as studies have shown, low levels of toxins can turn up in organic wines because of drift from nearby conventional farms or contaminated rainwater); they do not contain added sulfites.
The phrase “made with organic grapes” is a term officially designated by the National Organics Program, and it means that winemakers use organically grown grapes but may include a controlled amount of sulfites and other additives.
5. Don’t place too much stock in “natural wine” labels.
While many natural-wine producers are working to create better wines with fewer additives, the phrase “natural wine” has no legal definition. This can lead to consumer confusion.
“Ask 10 different people and you’ll likely get 10 different answers,” says Nadel.
Generally speaking, wines labeled “natural” use fewer additives in the winemaking process and fewer chemicals (and more sustainable practices) in the grape-farming process. But the word “natural” isn’t a guarantee.
The same applies to the phrase “clean wine.” To be sure about a given brand, do some background research about the vintner’s production practices before you buy. (For more on natural wines, visit “A Rare Vintage”.)
6. Look for biodynamic wines.
Biodynamic winemaking follows the same principles as organic winemaking but takes them a step further. Biodynamic farmers consider the health of the whole ecosystem, including soil, water, and air, as well as the lunar cycle and other astrological and spiritual rhythms.
Biodynamic labeling involves a registered international certification process (governed by the Demeter brand), so when you see it on a label, you can trust that the bottle meets a rigorous set of sustainability standards.
“Is biodynamic better for the planet than organic? Probably, yes,” says Nadel. For example, he says, biodynamic farmers avoid monoculture crops and won’t engage in some of the practices that an organic farmer might, like using the maximum amount of a permitted natural fungicide if they’re facing major crop loss.
“Biodynamic farmers don’t think of disease as something to be defeated,” he explains. “They think of it as something to be worked with.”
Just as with organic wines, look for “biodynamic wines” and remember that those “made with biodynamic grapes” may have some additives.
7. Buy from a smart wine store or curated program.
Look for a wine store that handpicks a selection of organic or biodynamic wines. Certain third-party organizations vet wines for purity, and they can be good resources if you want to know what’s in a bottle but lack an ingredient label to consult.
For example, Dry Farm Wines puts all its wine through independent lab testing to get an exact picture of what’s inside. The company promises that the wines it sells are sugar-, mold-, and additive-free; naturally or biodynamically farmed; low in sulfites; gluten-free; and fermented with wild native yeast.
You can also try a service like Thrive Market’s Clean Wine program, which offers brands guaranteed to be organically or biodynamically farmed, pesticide- and herbicide-free, and processed with minimal intervention. Likewise, they contain limited amounts of added sulfites and flavorings and no added sugar.
This was excerpted from “What’s in Your Wine?” which was published in Experience Life magazine.
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