Food - Drink
What Does ‘Sustainable’ Really Mean When It Comes To Wine?
By MEGGAN ROBINSON
Transforming grapes into wine is a complicated process governed by countless regulations, and defining "sustainable" wine is more complicated than it seems. You may think that the sustainability of wine depends on how the grapes are grown, or the carbon footprint of the wine's production, but exact standards are hard to define.
There are countless organizations governing the production of wine, and each region faces its own environmental challenges, priorities, and regulations that determine the sustainability of wine made there. Wine drinkers who care about the environment may look for natural or organic wines, but this isn't as deep as sustainability goes.
Beyond the use of pesticides, many wine drinkers believe sustainability should look at soil health; packaging, shipping, and a winery's carbon footprint; and even how a winery treats its workers. There are currently no global standards for "sustainable" wine, but consumers can still look for sustainability certifications on bottles sold near them.