What are organic wines?

In the simplest terms organic wines are those grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers. Organics should also take into account the treatment of the wine in the winery. This is not to say that an organically grown wine will not have a minor amount of added sulfites.

What is the relationship between sustainable and organic viticulture?

Sustainable agriculture strives to use organic practices whenever and wherever possible. The basic idea is to farm organically unless a major problem occurs, for instance a mold or fungus develops on the vines. Normally, organic methods are employed to combat the problem, however, if this is ineffective than synthetic fungicides will be used. The big issue here is that there are no real guidelines or standards for sustainable grape growing. So this is a self-governed and self-administered moniker.

What does it mean to have certification?

When a wine label states that it is an organic wine, established standards have been met by this wine and it is certified by an organization. However, each country defines what it means to be organic: so what Italy certifies to be organic may not be the same in Germany. In this country, the USDA is charged with certification. Here, wines must not use herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers and, in addition, no sulfites may be added during the winemaking process in order to be certified, and to be called an organic wine. Many wines are made from organically grown grapes, but because even a minimal amount of sulfur dioxide is added to preserve the wine, these wines cannot be labeled as organic in the US.

What is the difference between organic and biodynamic viticulture?

Biodynamics is the most holistic approach to the production of wine, incorporating organics as but one of its principles. Based on the teachings of Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian thinker who lived from 1861 to 1925, this approach views the farm as a whole, respecting each organism. The inherent cycles of each species are considered along with the relationship to the cycles of the universe as a whole. For instance, biodynamic winemakers choose to plant young vines during certain lunar cycles since plants store more water in their roots at this time. This practice has been shown to create greater growth and more vitality in plants. In short, biodynamics is the most complete approach to growing wine while respecting the plant and the soil as well as all other ecosystems.

What are sulfites, and how are they related to organic wines?

There is no such thing as a sulfite-free wine. Sulfites are a naturally occurring part of the winemaking process; generally 8-10 parts per million, but as much as 20 ppm, are produced during fermentation. Any wine sold in this country that contains more than 10 ppm must be labeled with the phrase "contains sulfites". Sulfites are often blamed for "wine headaches", but research has proven only a very small percentage of the population is allergic to sulfites. Those individuals are required to alter their diets in numerous ways to avoid sulfite intake. For instance, a 2-oz portion of dried apricots has a much greater amount of sulfites than a glass of wine. (Sulfite levels are generally 10 mg in the glass of wine vs. 112 mg in apricots.)

What is the cause of "wine headaches"?

There are a number of ideas on this issue. The first and perhaps most likely is the effect of histamines. Most of us who suffer the effects of seasonal allergies know the power of histamines. Amines may either constrict or dilate blood vessels in the brain, which may cause headaches for some people. Any fermented product will have histamines. White and red wine both have them, but it is believed that richer, fuller-bodied reds possess more of these substances. Strawberries are also high in histamines; a test to see if you’re particularly sensitive to histamines may be to eat a lot of strawberries, that is, if you’ve already had a few without any reaction. But if you’ve never had strawberries before, start slowly. Some people have reactions a couple of days later, while others react immediately.

All that said, other schools of thought focus on the alcohol, while yet others cite the tannins. There haven’t been in-depth studies to help us reach a consensus as to a "wine headache culprit", especially since people have different reactions to different compounds. And every wine is different, with different combinations of compounds. Try keeping a log of wines that do and don’t give you headaches to start your own wine-headache-free cellar.