Organic White Wines

Organic white wine, or organic wine, is a booming sector, driven by a collective awareness of the environment and better sourcing of consumed products. But organic white wine is above all distinguished by a philosophy of allowing the vine to express itself with as little intervention from the winemaker as possible, promoting soil life and limiting chemicals as much as possible. This results in more authentic wines, often easier to digest, and better preserved and represented terroirs. Organic white wines thus become a driver of transparency, naturalness, and traceability, and of course, without sacrificing pleasure! It can be found in many renowned wine regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, the Loire Valley, Provence, Languedoc, Champagne, the Rhône Valley, Roussillon, Jura, Savoie, the Southwest, and even Spain.

What is organic white wine?

Organic white wine is a wine made from grapes grown exclusively organically, and whose winemaking respects strict specifications with production rules such as banning chemical pesticides and synthetic herbicides, promoting biodiversity (grass between rows, auxiliary fauna, hedges, etc.), favoring natural treatments (copper, sulfur), or limiting yields to favor quality over quantity. In short, the goal of organic wine is to produce healthier and more balanced grapes. But the most important thing in organic is the limitation of interventions. Sulfites are allowed in reduced quantities, natural fining agents (vegetable proteins, bentonite), and selected yeasts (even if many winemakers prefer indigenous yeasts) are allowed, but chemical deacidification, artificial concentration, overly intrusive technological processes, and synthetic additives are prohibited.

To go further than organic, there is biodynamics, which brings a more energetic approach, centered on the lunar calendar, as well as natural wine, which prohibits all kinds of chemistry in the vineyard and cellar and requires indigenous yeasts and very low levels of sulfites.

How is organic white wine produced? (Winemaking process)

Organic harvests are mostly manual to avoid damaging the berries and preserve the natural yeasts present on the fruit skin. In organic, it is important to harvest perfectly healthy grapes because since there is no chemical treatment, the plant is more sensitive to the weather.

Then comes the fermentation stage, which can be done using indigenous yeasts (those naturally present on the grapes) or selected organic yeasts (for more regularity). Fermentation is crucial and must be controlled, as a white wine requires great precision combining freshness, balance, and aromatic purity.

In organic wine, sulfites are allowed but limited to 150mg/L versus 200mg/L in conventional wine. In natural wine, this goes even further with a limit of 30mg/L. A low dosage of sulfites by the winemaker results in wines perceived as easier to digest and less likely to cause headaches.

Aging can vary depending on the desired style: in stainless steel tanks for freshness and purity, in oak barrels for complexity and roundness, in amphorae for minerality and vibrant texture, or in concrete tanks for gentle micro-oxygenation.

In organic wine, indigenous yeasts are often highlighted, allowing the aromatic profile of white wine to emerge: citrus, exotic fruits, floral notes, etc.

The different styles of organic white wines

In organic white wine, there are three main styles of wine: dry white wines, sweet & luscious white wines, and sparkling white wines.

Dry white wines often represent the most sought-after category with beautiful freshness and tension, playing on aromas of lemon, apple, white flowers, or even gunflint. Dry white wine is ideal for aperitifs, seafood, fish, or fresh cheeses. Great dry white wines are notably found in Burgundy.

Sweet & luscious white wines are made from overripe, botrytized, or late-harvested grapes and bring notes of honey, candied fruits, apricot, and sweet spices, perfect with foie gras, desserts, or blue cheeses. Great sweet & luscious white wines are notably found in the sweet wines of Bordeaux.

Organic sparkling wines, meanwhile, are gaining increasing popularity thanks to their artisanal side. We distinguish organic Crémant, an eco-responsible equivalent of Champagne often at a lower price than Champagne, and organic Pet' Nat' with a more rustic, spontaneous style, sometimes slightly cloudy and providing an explosion of aromas.

Which grape varieties are best suited for organic white wines?

In organic, there are many grape varieties used to make white wine, some very well known to the general public, others a little less.