The term "organic" has to be one of the top buzz words of the decade, applied to everything from apples to cotton to wine. But what exactly does organic wine mean? Here's a crash course in the hot wine trend.
Organic Wine: To be certified as "Organic," organic wine must be made with at least 95% organic ingredients (grapes grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides). The wine cannot have any added sulfites, which act as preservatives.
Extra Credit Buzz Word! Biodynamic: Biodynamic wineries take the concept of organic farming one step further, incorporating special herbal sprays, composting, an emphasis on biodiversity, and planting schedules in-line with the lunar calendar. Conceptualized by Austrian Rudolph Steiner in 1924, some consider biodynamic farming methods to be a bit too mystical, while others assert that biodynamic wineries produce stellar wines.
