|
...with the basic practices of modern farming," he says.
Sinskey switched to organic farming in 1990, slowly phasing out synthetic herbicides on his grapes until 2001 when he became a certified organic grower. His productive vineyards now cover 200 acres on six different properties. But while every grape in his Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot wines are organic, not a single bottle carries the U.S. Department of Agriculture's green-and-white "USDA organic" label.
Organic grapes do not necessarily make organic wines. An organic vineyard is not the whole story; the process in the winery must be organic, too. Sinskey labels his wines "made with organic grapes" instead of "certified organic" because he, along with almost every other winemaker in the world, adds a small amount of sulfites, a preservative that prevents oxidation and bacterial spoilage. In America, wines with added sulfites cannot display the "USDA organic" label, even when the grapes are 100 percent organic. Complicating the issue is the fact that, although commercial sulfite is an additive, sulfite naturally results from yeast fermentation during wine production.
U.S. sales of certified organic wine and those made with organic grapes hit $80 million last year, rising 28 percent since 2004, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA). Today, wine enthusiasts buy nearly twice as much organic wine as they did in 2003. The association says it expects organic wine sales to grow about 17 percent each year through 2008.
The California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), the largest certifying body in the state, inspects 20 wineries and 8,000 acres of grapes. Organic grapes account for less than two percent of California's 550,000 total grape-growing acres. Jake Lewin, director of marketing for CCOF, says there is increasing interest in both organic grapes and organic winemaking. The number of certified organic acres, however, is growing faster than the number of certified organic wineries.
To Be or Not to Be Organic
What is, and what is not, an organic wine remains a confusing subject for consumers and a source of heated debate for industry experts. Winemakers who add sulfites believe that farming practices, such as removing herbicides and pesticides from the vineyard, should determine whether or not a wine is labeled organic. Others are...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos
have been removed from this article.
More articles from E
Conscience in the cart: greener sites for online shopping.(Website lis..., November 01, 2006
Banking on the Bahamas: protecting the Grand Banks.(Andros Island (Bah..., November 01, 2006
Wearable art: planet- and people-friendly jewelry is gaining ground.(C..., November 01, 2006
Light up the holidays.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Aware..., November 01, 2006
Global art to go.(Tools for Green Giving: Resources for Eco-Awareness ..., November 01, 2006
Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication
name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company
analysis or best practices in managing your organization,
Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business
professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible,
authoritative information they need to support their business
goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting,
company research or defining management best practices -
Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.
|
