The Difference Between Organic and Regular Red Wine
Wine is and always has been among the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world. Wine is what people drink to relax, to celebrate a special occasion and enjoy delicious meals with. There are many types of red wines to choose from and enjoy a glass. But aside from having to pick a type, you can also pick between drinking an organic version and a regular one.
Organic Red Wine
How different is an organic red wine from the regular one and why are people so hyped to drink it? Well, organic red wine is healthier because it is made from organic grapes that haven’t been in contact with chemicals and pesticides during the growing period. There’s not even a trace of chemicals on organic grapes therefore the organic red wines made from those grapes are chemical-free and 100% pure as well.
The process of making red organic wine (from the beginning to the end) is a completely different one because in this case a lot of natural winemaking methods are being used instead of the conventional ones. Organic grapes require a different approach so that the wine made from them is of great quality.
If you want to be sure you’re buying organic red wine, look for a label that says “certified organic”. Organic wines have to be labelled and that’s how you know that the bottle you’re buying is the right one. Now, aside from being chemical-free, organic wine doesn’t contain added sugars, additives and sulphites or contains only a very small amount (half of the amount regular wines contain). Organic wine is overall healthier to drink, doesn’t cause bad hangovers and has a more authentic taste. Now, because it lacks preservatives, organic wine has a shorter life span but that’s not that big of a deal. It’s better if you drink a healthy wine that’s been aging for 2 years than one that’s been aging for 20 years but contains chemicals.
At the present moment, organic wine is more in demand than ever. The Australian market for organic products notices a growth of 20% every year. You can find organic Shiraz (admired Barossa Valley wine), Merlot, Durif, Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Organic red wine has a vibrant red colour and an unmistakable aroma of berries along with notes of French oak, vanilla and a mix of spices (depending on the brand). Organic wines have a rich and velvety texture, a complex flavour, smooth tannins and are a real delight to drink. You can pair organic red wines with your favourite dish (meat, pasta, pizza) and your favourite desserts (cheesecakes, pies, dark chocolate, macarons).
Regular Red Wine
Regular red wine is made out of regular grapes that have been in contact with chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers. Although the number of chemicals and other substances sprayed on the grapes is one that doesn’t have a huge negative impact on human health (it’s a safe amount), residue stays in the wine which in the long term can affect your health in one way or another. Especially if you drink wine more often than not.
People usually disregard this “small” detail but it’s not something you should overlook. After all, why settle for the less healthy version when you have options? Wine can still be of high quality and tasty even without the added sugars and preservatives. Grapes can still grow healthy without the chemicals. It’s actually about how hard winemakers want to try when it comes to making a good bottle of wine.
Regular wine bottles don’t have a label on which all the ingredients and their amount are listed. So, you actually have no idea what’s inside the wine and what is that you’re drinking. And remember how wine gives you terrible headaches the next day? Well, that’s thanks to the additional sugars, additives and artificial colouring inside. When you think about it, regular wine affects you (negatively) in more than one way.
Regular wine contains high levels of sulphites. Dry red wine can contain as much as 75mg/L of sulphites which is dangerous for human health. Sulphites do have a role, they prevent the wine from becoming spoilt and preserve it for longer, but risking your health for a good bottle of wine is a price too high to pay. Also, in some cases, the sulphites interfere with the wine flavour. Real wine connoisseurs can sense the sulphites in the wine and that’s certainly not a good thing.
On another hand, the whole process from growing the grapes to making wine out of them (in the case of regular wine) has a bad effect on the environment. How good could all the chemicals be for the soil? And what about the liquids and gases released during the winemaking process? Regular wine impacts both you and the environment. So, there’s absolutely no reason for you to choose it over organic wine.
The Bottom Line
Taking all into consideration, organic wine is better both for you and the environment. By choosing organic wine over a regular one you choose something natural and produced with carefully picked grapes. Certified organic wines are labelled so that you know with certainty there isn’t even the slightest trace of chemicals inside. Currently, the production of organic wine is smaller than the one of regular wine (naturally) but that can change if the demand for organic wine grows. So, if all the people decide to suddenly switch to a healthier version of wine (organic one) then the wineries will be obligated to make changes and start making organic wine instead. Drinking organic wine is good for so many reasons. You can actually make a positive impact on the world by drinking wine. Talk about doing good deeds in style.
Slowly but surely organic wine will take the number one spot. People are becoming more aware of what they put in their body and they’re constantly trying to find healthy alternatives to the products they use on a daily basis. Organic wine is the wine of the future. And you can start living that future right now.