Organic Wines in Canada

Organic Wines

Organic Farming is a method which allows nature to protect and grow the produce with out introducing foreign substances.It largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. As far as possible, organic farmers rely on crop rotation crop residues, animal manures and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity, to supply plant nutrients and to control weeds, insects and other pests.

Organic farmers believe there is an essential link between the health of the soil, the health of plants, the health of animals and ultimately, the health of human populations. Thus the restoration, maintenance and enhancement of soil life is the cornerstone of the organic method.

Organic Farms Care for the Environment

Environmental protection is the primary reason most organic farmers become involved in organic agriculture. Concern for the environment is portrayed in many aspects of organic farming:

• Care in the handling of all animal wastes
• Protection of stream banks and watersheds
• Protection and fostering of wildlife including wild bird populations
• Avoiding the use of agricultural toxins - pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers
• Researching new ways to recycle agricultural nutrients - closed-loop systems

Organic wine is wine that has been produced from organically grown grapes, but no legal international definition exists. Organic wines are not necessarily sulfite free but they have no added sulfites.

To view British Columbia standards click here

There are a number of different ways you will see bottles labeled indicating they are organic. Here's how to interpret some of the terms on wine labels:

"100% Organic" means that the wines are produced with grapes that are certified 100 per cent organically grown and do not have any sulfur dioxide added.

"Organic" means that the wines are produced with a minimum of 95 per cent organic ingredients. These wines may have a very low level of sulfur dioxide added to them.

"Made with organic grapes" refers to wines that have a minimum of 70 per cent organic grapes. These wines may have sulfur dioxide added.

Biodynamic farming techniques utilize the vineyard's natural resources to cultivate the highest-quality grapes possible without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or growth stimulants.

A vineyard that is certified biodynamic meets and typically exceeds the standards and regulations for organic certified farming.

Requirements for Organic Wine:

100 % of the grapes used in BC Certified Organic Wine have to be British Columbia Certified Organic or certified to be organic of equal to British Columbia Certified Organic standing by a recognized certification body.

Grapes should be harvested into clean, non-contaminated containers made from wood, food-grade plastics, or enameled metal. Polyethylene liners are tolerated. Only healthy grapes of good quality should be selected for harvest and processed as soon as possible. Processing equipment, vessels, tanks and barrels have to be kept clean; cross-contamination with non-organic grapes, must or juice or prohibited substances must be avoided.

Yeast: The use of active yeast cultures or yeast naturally present in the must is allowed. The addition of selected yeast and organic yeast nutrients is allowed. Inorganic yeast nutrients are not allowed

Sulphur Additions:The COABC encourages winemakers to produce wines without the use of sulphur dioxide (SO2). Because sulphate free wines are often perceived to be of lesser stability and present a greater risk of spoilage, the COABC tolerates the use of SO2 under the following conditions:

a) Levels of total SO2 in wines to be released are not to exceed 100 parts per million and levels of free SO2 shall be no more than 30 parts per million. The COABC may reduce these levels in future, if acceptable alternatives to SO2 become available.

b) Acceptable sources of SO2: i) Solutions of 5% SO2 or greater, prepared by bubbling gas through water; burning of asbestos free sulphur wicks in barrels. ii) Wines that have been processed with the addition of SO2 must indicate that they contain sulphate on the front or back label. Potassium and sodium metabisulphites are not allowed

Stabilizing Agents Allowed:

1) Citric, tartaric, malic and ascorbic acids from non-synthetic sources are tolerated according to provincial and federal standards.

2) Cold stabilization for tartrate precipitation.

Clarification and Fining:

While natural settling and racking is recommended, the following materials and processes are tolerated:

• Fish based fining agents (Isinglass)
• Non-hydrolysed bone gelatine
• Bentonite
• Kaolin
• Pure casein, guaranteed free of residue
• Diatomaceous earth
• Fresh egg whites (from certified organic sources if available)
• Cellulose plate filters
• Centrifugation
• Sterile filtration with membrane filters
• Cross-flow filtration

Storage and Transportation Vessels

Barrels and tanks made from wood or stainless steel are recommended. Inert gas to fill unused space in barrels or tanks. Plastic tanks or barrels are tolerated if they meet all provincial and Federal standards for the intended use. Food grade silicon bungs are tolerated for sealing wood barrels.

Organic Wineries in Canada

Deep Creek Wine Estate & Hainle Vineyards is located in the sunny Okanagan wine region of British Columbia practices organic farming but according to Certified Organic Associations of BC they are not as yet certified

Summerhill Estate also in BC's Okanagan has certified organic grapes. Some of their wines say "Made with Certified Organic Grapes". Summerhill became a certified organic winery in November 2007 so all 2007 vintage wines will be 100% certified organic!

Rollingdale Winery located in the Lakeview Heights of Kelowna is a Certified organic winery. Winemakers Steve Dale's philosophy: Organic grapes taste best! Preserve the fruit.

Forbidden Fruit Winery has been operating as an organic farm since 1977. All wines made with using 100% Certified Organic Similkameen Valley fruit.

Frogpond Farm claims to be the only certified winery in Ontario. Certified by OCPP/Pro-Cert Canada to comply with the OC/Pro Organic Standard and the Canadian Organic Standards.

L'Acadie Vineyards Nova Scotia

Working Horse Winery Peachland, BC

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has developed a new label for organic wines that will appear on bottles that cross provincial or international borders.

The logo - a maple leaf rising behind a field with the words "biologique Canada organic" - will be phased in until Dec. 14, 2008, when it becomes mandatory, said agency spokesman Marc Richard. Wines sold within their own province won't require it.

In December 2006 the Canadian government published the Organic Products Regulation to regulate organic certification in Canada for organic products. Details on this new regulation are available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Canadian Organic Office website. The new regulation was implemented on June 30, 2009

Please see OCPP/Pro-Cert Canada Inc, Organic Certification Bodies

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