CHARTRAND IMPORTS, INC.
ROCKLAND, ME

Organic wines are produced using only organically grown grapes. Synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are not allowed on the vines or in the soil. Strict rules also govern the wine making process and storage conditions. Many substances used to stabilize or to assist wine to be more palatable are avoided by organic growers. Only pure sulphur dioxide is used as an anti-oxidant, and amounts allowed are far less than common usage in Europe or the U.S. This has been used for centuries in wine making. Without the harmless treatment, a wine maker risks producing an inconsistent or extremely fragile wine. We offer several wines that are made with no added sulfur, in addition to our full line of organic, low sulfite wines. Many persons find organic wines to be more easily drinkable and more flavorful than wines made by more industrial standards. The healthy soil contributes to a rich and full flavored wine, in balance and requiring no extra additives. In addition we are supporting farmers who preserve their soil and their communities by avoiding the many chemical fertilizers and pesticides commonly used on grapes. They choose organic methods to obtain the ripest and richest grapes possible. Their wines reflect that dedication. Chartrand Imports © 2018 Chartrand Imports. All Rights Reserved. Wine from Organic Grapes is one of the most interesting yet least understood products within the current boom in organic and natural foods. Imported organic wines are even less understood than US domestic products, due to labeling and terminology differences. Customers are nonetheless very curious about these wines. It is up to journalists, producers, retailers and wholesalers to understand customer questions and educate them in laymen’s terms. This will help wine customers choose to buy wine from organic grapes and learn how to identify it and recommend it to others. The great majority of wines are NOT made from organic grapes, despite the myth of all wine being a ‘natural’ product. The base of any wine from organic grapes is that 100% of grapes used are from certified organic vineyards. This reduces the use of dangerous agricultural chemicals and results in healthier grapes and tastier wine. Any substance used in the vineyard or in the wine must be from natural sources or allowed only as an exception by organic certification rules. All resellers should insist on proof of certification on the label! 1985-1987 Increased sales of slightly larger US organic production, greater choice and distribution of imported French and Italian organic wines. No labeling restriction. Most sales only to committed organic customers. 1988-1990 ALL wines sold in US began mandatory ‘Contains Sulfites’ warning. Customers confused timing of organic wine sales with sulfite warnings on wine. Increased interest in and sales of organic wines to allergic and sensitive customers, as well as those committed to organic lifestyles or opposed to food chemicals. US wineries begin production of wine from organic grapes without added sulfites. Quality issues harm reputation of all wines from organic grapes. 2000-2002 Final passage of US organic regulations. More production of organic wines with and without added sulfites, esp. from US producers. Increased sales of all organic wines. Entry of low cost, good quality organic wines with or without added sulfites. Beginning sales in conventional supermarkets. US Organic Foods Production Act adopted 1990. First USDA Proposed Organic Foods Rule, in 1997, allowed all organic wines to contain up to 100 ppm SO2. Second Proposed Rule in 2000 allowed no use of SO2 in any wine labeled either ‘organic’ or ‘made from organic grapes’. Final Rule of 2000 currently allows use of up to 100 ppm SO2 in wine labeled ‘made from organic grapes’. Similar wines without added SO2 are allowed use of term ‘organic wine’ after Oct. 21, 2002. Properly nurtured organic grapes are clearly the beginning of potentially great wine. Use of more local farm inputs to strengthen a healthy ecosystem, regular farmer vigilance and attention in the vineyard and a greater diversity of soil and surrounding life, are all integral to a well managed organic system. These are also the kinds of ideas that wine lovers have identified with well made wines for many years, even though the majority of conventional vineyards left these practices behind years ago. Winemaking techniques, including possible use of sulfur, will always greatly effect the final product and must be taken into consideration by customers, but the vineyard culture is at least as strong an indicator of quality as other factors. It is unclear how long sulfur has been used in winemaking, but it has definitely been around for several hundred years. Oxidation is an ever present danger in white and rose wines, and bacteria remaining after fermentation can stay active unless killed by some cleansing agent. Most wineries, including organic ones, use sulfur dioxide to limit this spoilage. When added to water or wine, sulfur dioxide becomes sulfites. One solution is to drink no wine if you’re sensitive, or to drink only wines with low levels of sulfites. To help wine drinkers make these choices, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) requires all wines that contain over 10 parts per million (ppm) sulfites to show a warning such as “Contains Sulfites.” Unfortunately, the law does not require the amount to be shown, so most consumers still aren’t able to choose a low sulfite wine. Certified organically grown and produced wines have sulfite levels far less than legal maximums. Organic winemakers, like all organic farmers, avoid use of chemicals on the land, the plants and the finished product. This method allows the plants to develop their natural strengths and benefit from the many nutrients present in balanced soil. They choose this type of farming to reduce their exposure to chemicals and because they see a difference in the health of their soil and plants. Synthetic additives and metabisulfite compounds are not permitted in organic winemaking. Many chemicals more dangerous than sulfur are used in conventional vineyards and are not required to be shown on labels. An organic winemaker adds few sulfites to his wine not only because his standards dictate this, but because his grapes and wine require less external support to be tasty and long lived.