Key takeaways:
- Organic and natural wines weren’t part of the explosion of organic products in the late 20th century. They’ve caught on in the 21st century and have experienced consistent popularity with consumers and increased market share in the wine industry.
- With a proud family history in winemaking and a commitment to sustainability, the Bousquet family secured the perfect setting for an organic vineyard and started to produce award-winning organic wines in 2003.
- In addition to organic wines, natural, biodynamic, and vegan wines have all increased in popularity and are solid choices at restaurants and wine shops.
Over the past half-century, organic products have been widely consumed by the health-conscious. Sales of organic produce, milk, eggs, meat, and much more have surged as consumers see the relationship between their diet, health, and the environment.
While demand for organic products has increased for a while, it took longer for organic wine to catch on. Winemakers across the world dedicated great effort to creating quality organic wines and to attracting a larger market. Finally, in the early 21st century, organic wines started to catch on for their myriad benefits to health, taste, sustainability, working conditions, and the environment.
A brief history of organic wine
A variety of people warned of the risks of agricultural chemicals in farming in the nineteenth century but they were mostly ignored until the 1960s when organic farming, natural food stores, and organic food startups started to gain popularity. The organic wine industry started to scale about a decade later. Unfortunately, these early organic wines had a reputation for poor quality and taste. Some wine drinkers reported they tasted like vinegar.
These organic wines were not strongly embraced by distributors and retailers, who perceived them as more apt to spoilage because of their lack of added sulfites. While retailers were hesitant to sell organic wines, conventional winemakers portrayed organic wine as having no extra health benefits or superior qualities. The organic wine movement was delayed by lingering perceptions of lower quality and taste.
Organic winemakers tried to create a larger market by showcasing the sustainability of organic wine. This did not succeed; while consumers wanted to help the environment, they couldn’t look past the wine’s negative taste reputation and were unwilling to sacrifice quality to support the cause.
Even as organic wines began receiving prestigious awards within the wine industry, this poor reputation for taste lingered. This perceived lower quality squeezed organic winemakers, who struggled to produce their more labor-intensive, expensive wines.
History of the Domaine Bousquet vineyard
In 1990, Frenchman Jean Bousquet took a vacation to Argentina and discovered his dream terroir, an ideal location in which to nurture organically grown wines. The Bousquet family combined their storied family history in winemaking with their commitment to sustainability and became leaders in organic wine over a decade later. The timing of their vineyard’s production perfectly coincided with the increased worldwide interest in low-intervention organic wines, and their commitment to quality has allowed them great success.
How did organic wine gain traction in the wine industry?
- 1999: La Dive Bouteille
This formal natural wine tasting event started with 15 winemakers and 100 attendees. It showcased quality organic wines, as well, and put the natural wine world on the map. Today, La Dive Bouteille is a highly anticipated event.
- Vastly improved quality
In the 2000s, organic wine importers grew and gained momentum in the United States; at first considered a niche interest, the natural wine category has grown in scope and understanding.
Wine drinkers who cared about what they consumed and already maintained organic diets decided to give natural wines a try.
- Trendy restaurants
Upscale, trendy restaurants in Paris and New York began to stock other varieties of wine, including organic, natural, biodynamic, and vegan, and soon other cities followed. Well-respected chefs now form connections with organic winemakers.
- High demand for local artisanal food and drinks
Organic wine fit in perfectly with the “farm to table” approach, which highlighted the origin of the food and drink. The purity, taste, and charm of the organic winemaking tradition served as a powerful marketing tool for the industry.
- Recognized sustainability
Organic winemaking does much more than conventional to protect the earth. Conventional wineries were exposed as larger polluters. Also, natural grape varietals were seen to be more resistant to the effects of climate change.
Additional types of wines gaining traction
There are a few types of low-intervention wines, which can be confusing. Here is a quick breakdown:
- Organic wine is made from grapes grown in accordance with the principles of organic farming. It must be certified organic with the USDA (the bottle will have a label) to be legitimate in the United States. It excludes the use of artificial chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
- Natural wine uses native yeasts in the fermentation process and minimal or no sulfur dioxide in the winemaking process. Natural wine is the traditional way of making wine – people have been making fermented grape juice without additives for thousands of years. It uses no technical intervention, lab-grown yeast, or added sugar, acid, and sulfites.
- Biodynamic wine is made from biodynamically farmed grapes. This type of farming is holistic and chemical-free. It takes into account the ecosystem of the farm as well as the lunar cycles. This ecological and ethical approach to farming was created by Dr. Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s.
- Vegan wine is the product of grapes and yeast; many consumers assume that all wines are appropriate for vegans but this is not always the case. Egg whites or casein (a protein found in milk) can be used in the fining process to remove tiny particles of sediment that cannot be removed by filtration. Vegan wine fining uses plant-based products, including bentonite, volcanic clay, and charcoal.
Domaine Bousquet are dedicated, organic winemakers
Organic wines may take more effort to produce but their variety of benefits are worth it. One thing is for certain: consumers who diligently purchase organic food have finally decided that choice, sustainability, and good health should extend to their wine drinking. Organic wine should be here to stay.
See Domaine Bousquet’s selection of pure, delicious organic wines.
