This week I drove from Sacramento to Los Angeles through California’s Central Valley, which is gaining popularity as a wine-growing region. Along the highway, miles and miles of land is devoted to growing grapes. All that land, all those vines (this is not the growing season yet) and soon, all those grapes. Which had me wonder about pesticides, organic farming, and organic wines in particular.

We all know that when crops are grown with pesticides, they can get into groundwater, the soil, and the air – as well as the crop that is being grown. So, organic farming is big win for everybody. When an organic crop is made into something else, say wine, the grapes are organic, and the process itself can also be organic.

Just what is organic wine? According to the folks at LoveToKnow Organic, here is the scoop:

“During the growing process, grapes are subjected to chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These are usually not washed off before processing, which means that the chemicals still present on the skins of the grapes will now be present in the wine itself. During the winemaking process, a variety of chemicals and sulfites are added to the fermenting wine to adjust and preserve the flavor.

Organic wine must be made from certified 100% organic grapes. Organic growers use natural predators, mulching, and other methods to control pests and enrich the soil. During the winemaking process, no chemicals or sulfites can be added to the wine. Instead, winemakers use a combination of grape varieties to achieve the flavor profile they are looking for. In order to increase acidity, they may use grapes in various stages of development. Sulfites cannot be added to preserve the wine, although it is normal for a small amount of sulfites to be in the wine as a normal result of the fermentation process. 100% certified organic wine is not very shelf stable due to the lack of added sulfites and this can mean that the quality will vary from batch to batch.”

Another great thing, especially if you are a red-wine lover, is that you won’t ingest the sulfites, which can lead to headaches, flushed face, allergic reactions, or other allergic reactions.

Let’s toast to that!