A portion of this article appeared in the Carpe Wine column in the Vail Daily.
So… what’s the difference between natural and organic wine? Isn’t all wine natural? And how is it not vegan since it’s just grapes and yeast? This whole eco-friendly wine movement is real as is the flood of terms and certifications to look for. If it makes your head spin, you’re in good company. Here’s the thing, it doesn’t have to be that deep. Let’s break down the different categories, how they differ, what to look for at the wine shop and ultimately what ends up in your glass.
Vegan Wines
Surprised that wine might not be vegan? You’re not the only one. Winemakers typically use a clarification method to ensure you the wine drinker gets a clear glass of wine. One of those methods can be “fining,” which MAY use animal-derived agents like egg whites to clarify the wine before bottling (other non-animal agents can be used instead). This process can also help to soften the tannins in big, red wines like a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vegan wine is actually tricky to spot, since there’s no single governing body or universally recognized seal/certification. Your best clue on the label is “Unfined and Unfiltered,” which signals no animal products were used in processing. Beyond that, look for these certifications:
- Vegan Society Trademark (sunflower logo) — the most recognized globally
- Certified Vegan (V with a leaf) — common in the US
- BeVeg Certified Vegan — newer but growing
Organic Wines
Organic wine starts with organic agriculture. In the United States, USDA-certified organic wine means grapes were grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers — and no sulfites were added. Simple enough, right? Just look for the USDA Organic seal or the European Union’s Euro Leaf logo.
Not quite that simple.
Wines bearing the USDA Organic seal are, as noted, fully organic. The EU, however, permits small amounts of added sulfites — which is why you’ll sometimes see the same producer labeled differently on each side of the Atlantic. A similar distinction applies to wines labeled “Made with Organic Grapes” in the US: these can contain added sulfur dioxide – sulfites – up to 100 ppm. They cannot display the USDA Organic seal, but they can promote the fact that their grapes are organically grown.
It’s worth noting that low levels of sulfites are naturally present in all wine as a byproduct of fermentation, regardless of how the grapes were grown. Some winemakers choose to add small amounts of sulfites to protect the wine from oxidation and microbial contamination during aging and storage. The key distinction for organic labeling comes down to whether sulfites were added: wines with the USDA Organic seal contain none, while those labeled “Made with Organic Grapes” do have a small amount added.
Sustainably Farmed Wines
Sustainable farming typically follows organic practices but with more flexibility. Man-made chemicals are not prohibited but their use is restricted. Growers integrate water management, natural pest control alternatives, and mindful fertilization techniques to support biodiversity within the vineyard. That said, sustainable farming is a broad and complex topic, and a growing number of competing certification programs make it difficult to navigate.
One important thing to know: the word “sustainable” alone on a label — with no certification body named — means virtually nothing. Look instead for the words “Certified Sustainable,” which carries far more weight. Better still, seek out one of these recognized certification seals:
United States
- CSWA — California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
- SIP Certified—Sustainability in Practice
- LIVE Certified — Low Input Viticulture and Enology
International
- Terra Vitis – Certification in France
- Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile
- SWNZ — Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand
- IPW — Integrated Production of Wine South Africa
- Bodegas de Argentina Sustainability Protocol
Biodynamic Wines
This is where things get interesting — and a little mystical. Biodynamic farming integrates organic practices with philosophy and cosmology, treating the farm as a living, self-sustaining ecosystem. Developed in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner and later expanded by Maria Thun, the approach guides grape growers to align their farming practices with the cycles of the planets, moon and stars — including, for example, timing the harvest according to lunar phases.
Certification matters here too. A winery can freely claim “Biodynamic Farming” on its label without any independent verification, so it’s worth knowing what to look for. The most trusted mark is “Certified Biodynamic by Demeter” — the leading international certification body for biodynamic producers. To achieve this certification growers must be certified organic and follow biodynamic rules set by Demeter.
Natural Wines
Generally speaking, natural wine is made with minimal intervention — hand-harvested organic grapes, wild yeasts from the grape skins, no additives and no added sulfites. Pure fermented grape juice, nothing more. The philosophy is simple: let the grape and the place speak for themselves, without technological interference.
So aren’t natural wines pretty much the same as organic wines. Nope.
All natural wines are organic but not all organic wines are natural given the different winemaking techniques that can – and are – used. For instance, natural wines are unfiltered, leaving residual sediment that can add unique flavors and textures along with a cloudy appearance. They can taste thrilling or awful — sometimes unpredictably funky, volatile or downright undrinkable. Without stabilizing sulfites, natural wines are more vulnerable to early oxidation, which makes quality inconsistent at best.
There’s also no legal definition or certification for natural wine, meaning anyone can print the word on a label. It’s a term ripe for marketing abuse — and it often is.
What’s the Greenest Glass to Sip?
The most overlooked eco-friendly choice in the wine aisle isn’t on any certification label — it’s local wine. All the winemaking philosophies covered in this article prioritize eco-friendly viticulture, but the wines still have to be shipped to your local shop, which quietly inflates that low carbon footprint.
Sip in More
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET III). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.
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