Organic wine is a segment of the industry that continues to gain momentum over the past few years, part of a trend of rising awareness regarding health among consumers around the world.
That increase among consumers in organic products is reflected in the U.S. numbers. According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), 75 million millennials in America are consuming organic food and drinks. Parents in the 18- to 34-year-old age group are the country’s largest group of organic buyers.
With Earth Day on Friday, some background on organic wines seemed particularly appropriate.
Nate Snelbaker, a retail wine specialist for Pennsylvania’s Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, responded to these basic questions about organic wine:
Q, What qualifies as an organic wine?
A, In the U.S. there are two categories: Organic wine and wine made from organically grown grapes. To be organic, a wine must contain less than 10 parts per million of sulfites, while those made from organically grown grapes must be less than 100 parts per million. Nonorganic wine can have up to 350 parts per million. The worry over sulfites is really only an issue if you have a medical allergy to it, and if you suspect you do, I’d recommend seeing a doctor for more guidance on the topic. Most other countries do not take sulfites into account as it is a naturally occurring byproduct of the fermentation process.
Q, What is the market for it (has it been going up?)
A, Of late we have seen more interest in “natural” wines, which aren’t always strictly organic but involve as little winemaker intervention as possible. We’ve also seen an increase in the “organically grown grapes” category because for many wine growers, organic methods are just preferred and yield better results.
Q, How much of what the PLCB stores sell is organic?
A, There are a surprising number of producers who fall in the organically grown grapes camp, as well as many wines from other countries who would qualify for organic except the regulatory bodies who certify such things are prohibitively expensive. About 17% of wines in our stores are marked organic and they made up about 9% of total sales this year.
The global organic wine market size is anticipated to reach $21.5 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.
In the U.S., organic wine sales featured record growth at 17.6% and reached $373 million in sales in 2020. Part of this is attributed to consumers looking for healthy alternatives and viewing organic wines on a par quality-wise to their non-organic counterparts, according to the OTA report.
Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores have a wide selection of natural and organic wines that are equal parts delicious and eco-friendly. Here are a few selections that are available:
- Bonterra Organic Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (on sale in April for $9.99)
- Natura Organic Merlot (on sale in April for $10.99)
- Lobetia Organic Garnacha Rose ($9.99)
- Wonderful Wine Company Organic Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99)
- Corinne et Jean Pierre Grossot Chablis ($26.99)
- Agusti Torello Mata Cava Brut ($19.99)
You can learn more about organic wines at this link.
More:
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In-store wine tastings to resume at PLCB’s Premium Collection stores
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