All

Organic

Biodynamic

Natural

In summary, if a wine is certified organic, it means that the winery adheres to a set of rules that they have to follow for a minimum 3 year conversion period. Fertilizers and sprays are permitted but must be certified Organic, which generally means that they are less harmful to the environment, the users, and the local ecosystem than conventional treatments, but must be applied judiciously to minimize impact. Additives to finished wine must also be certified organic, so some less “natural” ingredients are prohibited. Sulfites are allowed but their use is limited. Finally, they must submit to a yearly inspection by the guys that make the rules. Most notable are Ecocert and the CCOF. You may have also heard the term 'Practicing Organic' thrown around. In some circumstances, the producers are practicing organic winemaking and viticulture, but have not gone through the expensive and time consuming process of certification. For others means that while the winery is not certified, they may have purchased organically grown grapes.