US Organic Wine Labeling; Should De-Alcoholized Wine be Labeled Organic?
Taylor’s Port Scholarships, Bordeaux Mentor Week, SHE CAN Fund 2024 Opportunities
Two thought provoking pieces on US and EU regulations related to organic wine labeling. On her blog Organic Wine Uncorked Pam Strayer outlines the three labeling opportunities for US wineries who use organic grapes. At JancisRobinson.com Samantha Cole-Johnson argues for why de-alcoholizied wines should not be labeled organic in the EU; in the US it is allowed - both have to do with whether the wines are governed by wine or food laws. Harvard Business Review publishes an analysis on how to market sustainable products; Bonny Doon’s “Pink” wine packaged in Frugalpac’s paper wine bottles is set to be the first US wine sold in paper bottles; it will be sold exclusively at Whole Foods.
Regulations
US: Pam Strayer breaks down organic wine labeling in the US. Organic Wines Uncorked
There are technically three ways for organic wines to be labeled:
Organic wine – this is the only one that carries the USDA organic seal and requires the winery to be certified organic by a third party, as well as limit sulfites to 10 ppm – no additional added. All grapes must be 100% certified organic
Made with organic grapes – requires winery be certified organic by a third party, but may add up 100ppm sulfites. All grapes must be 100% certified organic
Organic ingredient statement only – wine contains some organic grapes. Does not need to be certified by a third party, or contain 100% organic grapes.
CCOF has a simple chart breaking this down here.
In Pam’s database of 1,654 organic wines, she notes the following statistics:
71 were labeled "Ingredients: Organic Grapes"
298 were labeled "Made with Organic Grapes"
109 were labeled "Organic Wine"
127 were labeled "Made with Biodynamic Grapes"
108 were labeled "Biodynamic Wine"
Commenting on the above stats - That means 1,176 wines (out of 1.654) vinified only with certified organic grapes could have used the word organic on the label–but did not. That is 71% of wines in my U.S., organic certified vine wines database.
In using the "Ingredients: Organic Grapes" category, under a USDA NOP regulation, it is not then necessary to list all the ingredients.
Legislation
“This bipartisan bill will support these local establishments by incentivizing the expansion of tap lines and keg equipment on commercial premises,” said Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) in a statement.
From across the aisle, his cosponsor, Steven Horsford (D-NV), offered his own statement, promising the CHEERS Act would enable hospitality businesses to “invest more in their employees [and] reduce waste created by using smaller, disposable containers.”
Dave Infante breaks it down:
It proposes to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which, among many other things, established tax definitions for beer that still mostly stand today. (You may have heard certain hard seltzers referred to as “IRC beer;” this code is what that acronym stands for.)
Specifically, it aims to tuck “energy efficient kegs” into the code’s definition of “commercial building property.”
This would allow bars and restaurants to claim a tax deduction under Section 179D, a chunk of the IRC that took effect in 2006 and aims to coax owners of commercial buildings to upgrade the sustainability of their properties by offering opportunities for accelerated depreciation.
Global: Samantha Cole-Johnson argues for why de-alcoholized wine should not be allowed to be labeled organic. Jancis Robinson
She notes the dpa (the German Press Agency) sold a story last week on the German government’s desire to have EU law changed in order to allow alcohol-free wines to be labelled as organic.
The German Minister of Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, made a statement in a press release that, ‘With the support of other member states, Germany has submitted an application in Brussels for the de-alcoholization of organic wine to be approved under EU law.’
Under EU organic certification for wine, in addition to being limited in what pesticides and herbicides you’re able to use, you are also limited in your winemaking practices – and vacuum distillation, in essence the process of gently heating a wine under vacuum so that alcohol boils off at a lower temperature, is prohibited.
It’s notable that vacuum distillation is approved for organic food – just not for organic wine. And until December 2021, non-alcoholic wine was subject to EU food law, not EU wine law.
She compares these regulations to those in the US. Currently under US law, de-alcoholized wine is still subject to food law instead of wine law – which means that, unlike regular wine, which cannot be labelled as organic wine if it contains any added sulfites (it can only say ‘made with organic grapes’), de-alcoholized wine can be labelled as organic even with added sulfites.
Marketing
UK: Majestic has joined the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), a coalition of more than 100 businesses, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations from around the world. Harpers
US: Banfi, producer and importer of fine wines, has announced Natura's partnership with 1% For The Planet. Press Release via Wine Business
As a member of 1% for the Planet, Natura is partnering with Rodale Institute to help increase regenerative organic acreage throughout the U.S.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit's mission is to advance groundbreaking research and best-in-class education that enables farms and farmers to transition to regenerative organic agricultural practices, thereby improving the health of the world's soil and securing the global food supply.
Global: An interesting case study on marketing sustainable products, which focuses on fine tuning messaging to a segmented audience. Harvard Business Review
Drawing on an extensive three-year research initiative at IMD business school that encompassed surveys, interviews, and interactive sessions with more 500 executives in B2B and B2C sectors from various countries, they’ve created a guide for sustainability marketing that builds on a more nuanced understanding of how consumers weigh the relative value of traditional and social and environmental benefits.
With clarity on how consumers make this calculation, executives can devise product and service strategies that will maximize their chances of success.
They breakdown sustainability attributes into three categories: independence, having no impact on traditional benefits; dissonance, diminishing traditional benefits resonance, enhancing traditional benefits.
Real examples are given with various products on marketing each product.
Viticulture
Washington State: The Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) and Washington State University (WSU) invite wine grape growers to register for an upcoming webinar that shares recent research about biological control in wine grapes. Press Release via Wine Business
The WAVEx webinar is scheduled for March 21, 2024, from 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Register for the free sustainable pest management webinar here.
California: A recap of the session entitled “Regenerative Agriculture - Next Step in Sustainability” at the recent Unified Wine & Grape Symposium. Wine Business
Three panelists highlighted solutions in their specific areas of research, showcasing new, actionable paths for growers to better soil health, improve wine grape quality and reduce synthetic chemical inputs. Links to their slides are included in the article.
Amelie Gaudin, Associate Professor of Agroecology at U.C. Davis, gave an overview of her recent research on animal integration, focusing on the widespread use of sheep in the New Zealand wine industry.
Devin Rippner, a USDA research soil scientist and an adjunct faculty member at Washington State University, focused on the impacts of tillage in vineyards.
Luca Brillante, Assistant Professor of Viticulture at Fresno State, presented a roadmap towards meeting new SPM long term goals which include reducing synthetic chemical inputs.
Lodi, California: The 2024 US Sustainable Wine Growing Summit is taking place in Lodi, on April 30 and May 1, 2024. Wine Business
The event, organized by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance includes co-hosts from California, Washington, New York and Oregon.
It will showcase the latest innovations and best practices in sustainable and climate beneficial winegrowing across the U.S. and beyond. Learn more and register at sustainablewinegrowing.us/summit.
Packaging
UK: Discounter Aldi is launching two own-label wines in Frugalpac paper bottles, the first supermarket to do so in the UK. The Drinks Business
The two wines – a Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa – will go on shelf next week (18 March) to coincide with global recycling day, retailing for £7.99.
The bottles are made from 94% recycled paperboard which is lined with a food-grade pouch that seals the wine.
It will be sold exclusively at Whole Foods, “We’re doing an initial run of 2,000 cases, which should be on shelves this spring,” said Andrew Nelson, managing partner at WarRoom Cellars which owns the Bonny Doon label.
The label’s founder, the ever inventive Randall Grahm, came up with a pun-ny name for the wine–”Carbon…nay”–as a witty way to highlight the low carbon footprint of the bottle.
Another advantage of the new packaging: labels can print all over it on every surface, Nelson said, which Bonny Doon’s new label does.
Global: A recap of the recent UK’s Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) virtual workshop on March 7 about its bottle weight accord. Wine Business
In an effort to tackle this emissions source, SWR created a bottle weight accord which launched on Oct. 10, 2023.
Those who sign the accord agree to reduce the average bottle weight of the 750ml still wine bottles they sell to below 420 g by the end of 2026. Since the current bottle weight average is around 550 g, this would represent a 25% decrease in weight, “and therefore in carbon footprint,” according to the SWR roundtable presentation.
Members who sign the accord will implement a phased approach to reducing weight and average bottle weights will be reported to SWR and publicized every six months.
Diversity & Equity
Global: The Gérard Basset Foundation, Liquid Icons and Taylor’s Port announce applications are now open for the 2024 Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships. Press Release via Wine Business
Since 2021, these scholarships have offered financial support, guidance, mentorship, and incredible internship opportunities for individuals interested in undertaking the MW (Master of Wine) and MS (Master Sommelier) programs.
Each Taylor’s Port Scholarship offers the winner £55,000 to fund their studies and to undertake their choice of internships from an extensive list of providers comprising some of the world’s greatest estates devoted to crafting the finest wines and spirits.
Three Taylor’s Port Scholarships will be offered in 2024.
Bordeaux, France: Applications are now open for Inside Bordeaux’s 2024 Bordeaux Mentor Week. Jane Anson’s Inside Bordeaux
For the third year in a row, the search is on for 7 lucky wine scholars from around the world to join Jane and Chinedu for an intensive and immersive week in Bordeaux.
Bordeaux Mentor Week is designed to provide access to the wines and the people of Bordeaux for those young individuals who are starting out in the wine trade.
In addition to working in the vineyards and cellars of Bordeaux, the scholars will meet with start-ups and wine innovators, explore La Place de Bordeaux, and learn to develop their tasting skills with a focus on older wines from Bordeaux’s top producers.
Anyone who wants to pursue a career in the wine industry and who doesn’t have access to adequate educational support or financial means is encouraged to apply. More details here.
Napa Valley, California: McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund, the philanthropic arm of their wine company dedicated to advancement of women in the wine industry and beyond, announces its initiatives for 2024. Press Release via Wine Business
This year's applications will launch on April 15th and remain open until May 31st, accessible through the SHE CAN Fund website. Awards will be granted in June.
10 x Court of Master Sommelier Scholarships
2 x Mentorship Placements with Robin McBride or Relevant industry leader:
2 x Business of Wine Immersion Trip for HBCU Students: Two Business of Wine Immersion Trip giveaway featuring a transformative immersion experience in the wine industry - including insights into the hospitality industry, grape growing, and winemaking - to two deserving students from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).
Global: The Demeter Collection, is thr world’s first whisky auction honoring women in the industry. Club Oneologique
Every one of the collection’s carefully curated 18 lots has been created by women, making it the world’s first auction dedicated to recognizing the achievements and contributions of women to the whisky industry.
Hosted by Whisky Auctioneer, the aims of the auction, which runs from 29 March to 8 April are twofold.
The first is to raise funds for the work of the OurWhisky Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting women in the global whisky industry.
The second is, as Becky Paskin, the foundation’s founder explains, ‘to raise awareness of the incredible talent and skill that women in whisky have, to make a big splash that puts these women at the top of people’s minds.’
The collection takes its name from the Greek goddess of grain. ‘Though Demeter is Zeus’ sister, her story is not very well known,’ says Paskin, ‘just like that of many women working in whisky.’