The Difference Between Organic Wine and Wine “Made with Organic Grapes”

Is there a difference between “Organic Wine” and wine that says “Made with Organic Grapes” on the label? Most definitely.

What’s the deal with Organic Wine? Ever had a jaw ache after drinking wine? That’s caused by sulfites (also found in mustard, sriracha, vinegar, deli meat, and most bacon among other things). Sulfites are used as a preservative in wine. The great thing about Organic Wine is only the small amount of sulfites that occur naturally are allowed (no additional added.) The grapes are also grown without synthetic fertilizers and in a manner that protects the environment and preserves the soil. Other agricultural ingredients that go into the wine, such as yeast, also have to be certified organic.

I noticed recently that there were wines labeled “Made with Organic Grapes.” This is a labeling deception in my opinion. These wines can have up to 100 parts per million of sulfites added to them. Additional additives don’t even have to be organic, because remember they didn’t say the wine was organic, they said it was “made with organic grapes”. They are only subject to the rules for fertilizers, not any additives used in the winemaking process.

These kinds of USDA-sanctioned labeling loopholes get under my skin, because clearly they are meant to deceive people that care about their health. I hadn’t bought a bottle of wine in a few years, so I don’t know if this marketing tactic is new, or the city I previously lived in just had more educated consumers and therefore better products. I recently went shopping for a bottle of wine to use for a braised dish and couldn’t find a single bottle in the organic section that was actually organic.

Reasons to Avoid Sulfites:

There are some great reasons to avoid sulfites even if you don’t have a noticeable reaction to them. They are added to foods to prevent bacterial growth, so they can also kill off beneficial gut bacteria. As I discussed in my Paleo Basics Article, we do not absorb nutrition from the foods we eat, but from the byproducts that our gut bacteria break foods down into. For this reason, keeping our gut healthy is one of the most important parts of optimal health.

I believe this is also the reason sulfites have been found to interfere with b vitamin absorption. Probiotics are actually a treatment for b vitamin deficiency, because it doesn’t matter how much you eat if you don’t have the beneficial microbes to break them down and make them absorbable and usable by your body.

Sulfites have also been linked to creating free radicals. Free radicals are basically oxidative particles that cause cell damage and can lead to cancer. The opposite of an “antioxidant”.

Personally, I have also had insomnia and nightmares after eating sulfite heavy foods and wine, but I didn’t find anything about that when I looked it up, so I’m not sure how common that reaction is. If you ever get the jaw ache from wine or other foods, I’ve found oil pulling makes the pain stop. You just swish cold pressed coconut oil in your mouth for about 15 minutes or until the discomfort stops. This has saved me when I ate a salad that had ham and bacon that caused a major jaw ache.

Recommendations for Organic Wine:

My French Chef mentors would disown me if I told people to never drink a glass of wine again. Haha! I think there are benefits to wine made in the traditional chemical free manner such as the antioxidants and even just relaxation with friends. Stress is probably worse for your body than organic wine if we are being honest. I’ve found a few great sources of Organic No Sulfites Added Wine, so that you have healthier options.

My number one pick is Frey Organic Wines. All of their wines are made without sulfites, so you can actually feel safe picking anything from their website. They are also biodynamic, so they take the ecosystem in their area seriously, even taking care to plant special flowers for the bees. This is a kind of “beyond organic” approach that I respect.

Organic Wine Exchange has a large selection of true Organic Wines with no sulfites added.

Organic Wine Company also has a no sulfites added section and they sell some wine in packs if you’re having an event or just want to stock up.

À ta santé! (a common cheers in French, meaning “to your health”)