Organic wine on the rise - and what it means
What is organic wine and how can you be sure it is organic?
Two words: certification verification.
This week we have designed brand new green shelf tags to highlight the certified organic wines we sell here at Regional.
Like all drinks and foods that claim to be organic, a wine can only be called organic if it is certified.
This means an independent body has visited the vineyard and winery to audit its methods of production.
When it comes to producing organic wine, this means no man-made chemicals have been used on the vineyards or in the winery. These types of chemicals include such nasties as pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fertilisers and fungicides, which can be a challenge in a country with a generally maritime climate. As you can imagine, wet weather leads to fungal disease and this country has plenty of both. Organic vineyards need to manage fungal disease issues with permitted sprays, such as copper and sulphur dioxide.
That's it in a nutshell.
BioGro New Zealand
This country's leading organic certifier is BioGro New Zealand, whose logo features on this blog.
All organic wines that have been certified by BioGro New Zealand are permitted to use this badge of certification on their label to demonstrate they have complied with the regulations set out for them.
The logo usually appears on back labels and its use is monitored carefully. A growing number of wine brands produce organically certified wines but these are on a case by case basis. Not all wines made by organic producers are certified. This is usually because some vineyards have organic certification while other vineyards - often owned by the same producer - are not there yet.
There are other authorised certifiers of organics but this is the leading one in New Zealand.
So, organic wine is like organic eggs, vegetables and other produce. It is certified by an independent body. It is not a self appointed badge of pride, but one of integrity that has been independently awarded.
Pop in to Regional Wines to see and buy one of the growing number of organic wines in New Zealand today.
Organic Winegrowers NZ
Organic Winegrowers NZ is an organisation that promotes organic certification in New Zealand vineyards and wineries.
Organic Winegrowers NZ is not a certifying organic body. It has a growing number of member wineries and producers. It also runs a bi annual conference.
Members of Organic Winegrowers NZ
Fully organic wineries
Aurum
Bellbird Spring
Bellhill
Black Estate
Brightside
Carrick
Churton
Clos Henri
Dog Point Vineyard
Domaine Rewa
Domaine-thomson
Fancrest Estate
Felton Road
Fromm
Greenhough Vineyard
Greystone
Hans Herzog
Huia
Kaimira Estate
Konrad
Peregrine
Quartz Reef
Richmond Plains
Rippon
Rockferry
Schubert
Seresin
Soderberg Wines
Stonecroft
Supernatural
Takamatua Valley Vineyards
Terrace Edge
The Darling
Tua Marina Vineyadrs
Turanga
Two Paddocks
Urlar
Walnut Block Wines
William Murdoch
Wright Family Winegrowers
These wineries produce most of their wines from solely certified organic or biodynamic grapes...
Kelly Washington Wines
Neudorf Vineyards
Pyramid Valley New Zealand
Te Mania
Te Whare Ra
Find out more about Organic Winegrowers NZ here: https://www.organicwinenz.com/fully-certified