Organic and biodynamic wines quality and characteristics: A review
MC Ravero 2019
Abstract
This review collates the scientific literature regarding organic and biodynamic wines. It concerns techniques that allow organic or biodynamic wines to be distinguished from conventional products. Other aspects of the organic wines addressed include the antioxidant capacities and the content of compounds potentially toxic to human health, like metals, such as copper, deriving from treatments in the vineyard, or ochratoxin A and biogenic amines. Organic wines, in which, unlike non-organic wines, the SO2 must be lower or absent, may undergo premature ageing and present high levels of oxidation compounds. Some authors used selected indigenous yeasts to reduce the production of these molecules and improve the organoleptic quality of the wine. Also, the effects of biodynamic viticulture practices on the chemical and sensory characteristics of wines are compared with other conventional or organic products. With the growing market interest, differences among conventional, organic and, moreover, biodynamic wines, require more in-depth analysis.
Introduction
Nowadays, consumers show immense interest in the issues of sustainability and healthiness of food and beverages. A recent study (Boncinelli, Dominici, Gerini, & Marone, 2019) showed that when Italian consumers choose a wine for themselves or as a gift, their preferences are different. When purchasing a wine intended as a gift, the geographical indication has a low impact, but the brand and organic claim have essential roles.
The organic wine market trend is increasing worldwide (Abraben, Grogan, Zhifeng, & Gao, 2017). The market offers, among others, “organic wines, biodynamic wines, natural wines, wine without sulphites, wines with low environmental impact, vegan and vegetarian wines”. These terms can, however, confuse the consumers, who do not find adequate information on the label to fully understand its meaning and clarify its differences (Castellini, Mauracher, Procidano, & Sacchi, 2014). The communication to the consumers of biodynamic wines should be improved, and the willingness of consumers to pay for these products should be investigated (Castellini, Mauracher, & Troiano, 2017).
The organic viticulture is a dynamic sector in France (Aigrain, Brugière, & Hannin, 2017). Regular Italian wine consumers would be willing to pay more for organically produced wines than conventional ones (Pagliarini, Laureati, & Gaeta, 2013). In contrast, in a survey of USA consumers, taste alone consistently influenced the participants’ preference for wines (Rahman, Stumpf, & Reynolds, 2014). After tasting the wine, the fact that the wine was organic had no further influence on their purchase decision. Nonetheless, as the authors declared, the study was limited because the subjects were all recruited at the Washington State University campus and the majority were students, with a mean age of 26 years.
Commonly, there is a perception by consumers of the health benefits of organic wines without additives, but inappropriate information discourages consumers from paying a price differential for wine without sulphites in Italy (D'Amico, Di Vita, & Monaco, 2016). Even in Brazil, there is a growing tendency to consume high quality wines and organic wines (Araujo, Costa da Silva, Callegaro de Menezes, & Bruch, 2017). The study shows that production is not aligned with consumer demand and that it is still necessary to review the information made available to consumers, in addition to making it more transparent.
Schäufele and Hamm (2018) showed that the attitude of German consumers to buy organic wines is in line with their real behavior. However, the higher price of these products is an obstacle for some consumer segments with a low income.
Italian and Spanish consumers (Amato, Ballco, López-Galán, De Magistris, & Verneau, 2017) are willing to exchange the habitually consumed bottle of wine with sulphite-free wine. More than 80% of the consumers are disposed to pay, on average, additional premium prices of 1.17 ± 0.76€ (in Spain) and 0.90 ± 0.50€ (in Italy).
A survey on Swiss wine drinkers (Mann, Ferjani, & Reissig, 2012) showed that the term “organic” was more important than the wine colour but less important than the price and the country of origin. Moreover, urban and female consumers were relatively likely to consume organic wine, considering organic wine healthy. Deneulin and Dupraz (2018) found that while Swiss consumers consider the sensory quality the main value for wine, they are also willing to pay more for wines with the label “no-added sulphites” (+1.00 Swiss Franc) or “organic and biodynamic” (+2.00 Swiss Franc).
The definition “organic wine” does not have the same meaning everywhere because the laws regulating organic wine production differ worldwide. Generally, the most important goal is to avoid synthetic chemical fertilisers and pesticides, genetically modified organisms and other synthetic additives. In many countries, this category has been regulated from 2000 (e.g., USA, Canada, Australia). In Europe, organic wines have been regulated by law since 2012 (EC Regulation No. 203/2012): they can only be produced from organic grapes (EC Regulation No. 834/2007) and, in addition, the use of adjuvants and additives must be limited in winemaking and the use of accepted practices respected. However, the European Union (EU) regulations allow organic wine growers to use the term “organic wine” and the EU organic logo on their label after certification. In Europe, the organic wines are certified by private structures authorised by a public authority. This regulation enables consumers to unequivocally distinguish organic wines from conventional wines (Schäufele & Hamm, 2017).
As Europe-based vineyards constituted over 80% of the world’s total organic grape growing area in 2014 (Willer & Lernoud, 2016, cited by Schäufele & Hamm, 2017), the EU regulations on “organic wine” were an important measure for the global organic wine market.
In the USA, the corresponding standards for certification and labelling differ between “wine made with organic grapes” and “organic wine”, depending on the percentages of organically grown grapes and the use (or non-use) of sulphites. This category can also include sulphur dioxide (SO2). As Abraben et al. (2017) reported, the producers must pay third-party certifying agents to attest that their production practices meet the standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program. Once certified, the product can carry the USDA organic logo (USDA, 2000). In addition to this label, producers can include other logos signifying additional environmental or fair-trade attributes of a product, if they can seek out supplementary certification.
Biodynamic wines are produced with grapes cultivated according to the principles of biodynamic agriculture. These wines are not regulated by law but only certified by private associations. Then, there are a whole series of intermediate situations, such as wines produced with grapes from organic viticulture but conventionally vinified and which, as such, must be defined on the label or organic wines produced from biodynamic grapes. Natural wines do not comply with any law or regulation, even if there are associations with common rules, but, mostly, it is a self-declaration of the individual producer, who follows a personal idea of naturalness in the vineyard and the cellar. Generally, in vinification, the use of SO2 is limited, and selected yeasts or chemical additives and adjuvants, for example, are not used.
Despite the growing market interest in wine, scientific information about the organoleptic differences between conventional, organic and, above all, biodynamic wines remain scarce and the topic requires more in-depth analysis.
Section snippets
Organic wines versus conventional wines
Various methods of analysis allow distinguishing between organic and non-organic wines. Lante, Crapisi, Lomolino, and Spettoli (2004) analysed 23 commercial Italian wines made from organic and non-organic grapes. The results of the chemical analyses (alcohol, sugar, total and volatile acidity, total and free SO2, pH) and the sensory data of the organic wines did not significantly differ from the conventional wines. Núñez-Delicado, Sánchez-Ferrer, García-Carmona, and López-Nicolás (2005) showed
Contaminants in organic wines
Other aspects of the organic wines concern the content of compounds potentially toxic to human health: ochratoxin A (OTA), biogenic amines (BA), metals (such as copper) and pesticides deriving from treatments in the vineyard.
Phenols and antioxidant (AOX) activity in organic wines
Miceli et al. (2003) demonstrated that the tenors of various classes of polyphenols and, besides, the AOX activity were on average higher in organic wines and wines with designation of origin than table wines. These results were inconsistent with those obtained in Spain on Monastrell wines, in which there were neither differences between organic and traditional wines (Mulero, Pardo, & Zafrilla, 2009) nor among wines obtained from organic grapes elaborated by different vinification techniques (
Yeasts and organic wines
For organic wines, it is important to use indigenous yeasts adapted to the environmental conditions, which allow a more regular fermentation process. In this way, biodiversity is promoted, and wines will retain the typical sensory characteristics. Callejon et al. (2010) produced organic wines by micro-vinification (100 L) of Merlot grapes to select the best autochthonous and commercial yeast strains among five Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two native strains generated products with the best
Biodynamic wines quality and characteristics
The biodynamic wines come from grapes produced according to the biodynamic method formulated in the 1920s by the Austrian, Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the founder of anthroposophy. There are three principles of biodynamics:
1. Maintain the fertility of the soil, freeing nutrients in it;
2. Make healthy plants so they can resist diseases and pests;
3. Produce foods of the highest possible quality.
For these purposes, the grapes should be cultivated with the use of products prepared according to Steiner's
Conclusions
The literature available on the characteristics of organic and, above all, biodynamic wines, are few. Generally, the papers study a limited number of grape varieties and a low number of wines in a specific area or both, so it is difficult to conclude about the real quality of these products. Organic wine is subjected to particular regulatory laws that vary worldwide, and this can disorientate the consumers.