The growing climate awareness of the population towards the products we consume and their origin, as well as the production method, are issues that are increasingly present and gaining more importance in the food sector, and wine is no exception.
In the wine sector we often hear about “organic wine”, “natural wine” and “biodynamic wine”, terms that can generate confusion. But what does each of these terms mean? What characteristics do they have? How do they differ from each other? Let’s clarify these concepts and review the most important features of each.
Organic wines: focus on sustainable practices
Organic wines, as in the case of our Maius wines, are those that are made from organic vineyards, that is, that do not use pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. Instead of chemical products, they use organic fertilizers and natural and preventive alternatives to control pests. In this way, organic viticulture seeks to protect and promote biodiversity in the vineyard. The practices to produce an organic wine, however, are not relegated to the vineyard, but are also present in the winery. Practices such as partial dealcoholization, cold concentration, the elimination of sulfur dioxide and the use of genetically modified organisms are prohibited. In addition, the use of sulfites, compounds that act as preservatives and antioxidants, is strictly controlled and the permitted doses are lower than in conventional wines.
For a wine to be accredited as organic wine, it must contain an official seal, which in the case of the EU is the “Euroleaf”.
Natural wines: minimalism in all its phases
Natural wines seek minimal intervention, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The use of chemicals in cultivation is avoided, of organic origin, and in the production process only native yeasts are used, that is, those that are naturally present on the grape skins. The wines are not clarified or corrected either. Therefore, we could say that it is a production method that seeks the unique expression that each wine takes, giving prominence to the grape and the terroir.
Unlike organic wines and biodynamic wines, natural wines are not governed by any specific regulations.
Biodynamic wines: holistic philosophy
This type of wine is based on the biodynamic agriculture model, devised by Rudolf Steiner in 1924, which conceives the vineyard as a complete ecosystem and takes into account its natural cycles, governed by astrology. Therefore, the different cultivation tasks are based on the lunar calendar. Natural preparations are used to strengthen the vineyard soil and, in the winery, minimal intervention is prioritized.
Although they are not grouped under any official certification, biodynamic wines are collected under the Demeter seal, managed by a private company that acts as a certifying body.