Mind Your Wine
Natural and biodynamic winemaking is changing our ‘wine o’clock’
There’s a new buzz in the wine world and it’s because there are a total of 76 U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved legal additives allowed in wine. As much as people want to credit the grapes in that sip of white, red or rosé, there can be lots more in it—including sugar, preservatives and even milk products, to name a few.
Wineries are emerging, however, that want to change that. They pride themselves on being transparent about their grapes and wines, which can be natural, biodynamic, organic, low-sugar or keto. And the premise is twofold: Enjoy a glass without harmful additives and chemicals that may worsen hangovers, with no extra calories!
Walking through wine aisles in groceries will unlikely offer clues as to what’s in the bottles. Consumers often reach for a certain bottle because they like the label’s design.
Christine Fitzgerald has spent 20 years as a nutritionist—only to see her clients choose wine rather than stick to their diets and health regimes. To find an alternative, she created SmartVine, a certified vegan wine with a healthy twist.
“The wines out there were throwing my clients off of their health goals with their high amounts of sugar and chemicals,” Fitzgerald told TOTI Media. “Now they don’t have to decide between their health and their social life.”
While most vintners won’t display what goes on during the winemaking process, Fitzgerald says she’s proud to share. SmartVine tests grapes for preservatives and for glyphosate, the controversial herbicide used in weed-killer products such as Roundup. SmartVine also adds a unique liquid infusion before the bottles are sealed.
There are only 2 grams of carbs per glass, and 1 gram of sugar in each bottle, Fitzgerald explains. Included are four wildharvested herbs, organic turmeric, organic Muscadine grape skin, organic lemon peel and organic chicory root. These don’t alter the flavor profile; they help SmartVine wine drinkers digest the alcohol—and lessen headaches, bloating and weight gain.
Humans fell in love with wine more than 6,000 years ago.
A lot has changed and most wines today are far from being as “pure” as those of long ago. In fact, according to the World Wildlife Fund, the amount of pesticides sprayed on vine fields has increased 26-fold during the past 50 years.
The pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, used by so many winemakers, destroy insects in the soil but they also alter the nutrient contents and ecosystem of the soil itself. Hence, the grapes can be less nutritious and not as delicious—and chemicals may even end up in your glass.
Additives often play a role in balancing out that loss of taste and structure. “Most wines have up to 20 grams of added sugar per bottle,” Fitzgerald explains.
Holiday meals mean that the calories most everyone consumes during this time of year are likely much higher than in other months. So it sounds rather refreshing to learn that wine might not be something people need to work off as soon as January hits.
Low sugar content is a great advantage with these healthy wines—but there’s something else. They are also often tested in the laboratory for chemicals, preservatives, stabilizers and mold. Thus, Dry Farm Wines works with vineyards where grapes are grown through natural, sustainable or biodynamic farming, and dry farming.
The foundation of biodynamic farming is to cultivate a healthy microorganism-filled soil to grow nutrient-rich vines. Added to that, dry farming means no irrigation, requiring the roots to grow deeper for water—therefore also tapping into more nutrient-dense parts of the soil.
Through the fermentation process, wine is made by adding yeast to grape juice. Then the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide as byproducts. Because Dry Farm Wines allows fermentation to run its full course, the amount of sugar left in its wine doesn’t exceed 1 gram per liter.
These practices ensure that natural wines have a more distinctive smell, are cloudier, juicier and generally resemble
the actual taste of the grapes better than traditional wines. They are naturally on the drier side.
At all times of year, keep in mind that alcohol should always be consumed in moderation. Wine should not be an “escape,” as it is meant to help people wind down after a busy day, lift spirits, complement meals and create connections with friends and family.
Klaudia Balogh is a health and wellness writer for TOTI Media.