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