…means only National Organic Program approved products are allowed in the vineyards. If a winery buys grapes that are not organic, the wines made from those grapes are not included.

Organic wine is a term used in reference to a combination of both farming practices and wine making regulations.

The first principle of ConsciousWine is that no synthetic chemicals have been used in the growing of the grapes. A synthetic is defined as two or more compounds brought together through a process (heat for example). In the United States, some sprays are allowed for certified organic products as long as they are approved by the National Organic Program (NOP), which is controlled by the USDA.

We make a distinct separation between farming practices and how wine is made in ConsciousWine’s 4 Principles.

The first two principles are focused exclusively on the farming practices. What’s used, what isn’t, and what’s behind how the decisions on the farm are made.

The third and fourth principles include the wine itself, specifically the wine making process and the quality of the finished product.

Organically grown grapes (our first principle) is our starting point as we discover if a winery is producing ConsciousWine.