The discussion around organic and biodynamic wines is relatively new in Australia, but most wines from Europe have been chemical free for centuries.
Vinyards on the continent have not faced the need to use chemicals to treat their vines, so have been naturally organic.
The introduction of certification has resulted in many seeking the green stamp often found on the back of bottles.
Here in Australia and New Zealand, more and more wine producers are moving towards better, cleaner, and more sustainable viticulture.
For those who are unsure what organic and biodynamic means in the world of vino, here is a simple breakdown.
Organic: Purity of product using non-synthesised ingredients.
Biodynamic: Holistic agricultural health.
Sustainable: Mitigation and reduction of wastefulness in winemaking.
A wine can be made and tick all categories, or just one, and there are a wealth of certifications around all three.
To expand slightly on the term organic when referring to wines, it is important to remember that they are not additive-free, and that organic only refers to the growing practices implemented by the vineyard.
While they are not additive-free, they often contain much less and also exclude chemicals like herbicides, fungicides, sulphur and Mega Purple.
Organic and biodynamic wines are a growing trend which is why Embassy XO in Sunshine Beach, as well as its two premium bottle shops, XO Cellars in Noosa Fair and Sunshine Beach have a large range of both on their shelves.
Embassy XO has again been awarded a two-glass rating as part of the Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards by Gourmet Traveller.
Embassy XO’s wine list was curated by Chris Burton and sommelier James Alcock, and was created with a focus on premium wines.
It includes a balanced range of Australian and international wines with many organic and biodynamic blends included.
“When designing the Embassy XO wine list we wanted to create a collection of stunning premium wines from around the world, and have found blends from some incredible small and boutique vineyards,” Mr Burton said.
The Embassy XO and Cellars staff are always on hand to answer any questions you may have about organic, biodynamic, sustainable, preservative-free and non-organic wines.
