HOW IS ORGANIC WINE DIFFERENT FROM REGULAR WINE?

Organic wine and conventional wine might look identical on a shelf. But the differences in how they are made are significant — and they affect everything from the flavour of the wine to the health of the soil it was grown in.

THE VINEYARD — WHERE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES ARE

Organic certification primarily covers how grapes are grown. Certified organic vineyards cannot use synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilisers. Instead, they rely on cover crops, composting, natural predators, and careful vineyard management.

Conventionally farmed vineyards can use a wide range of synthetic chemicals to control pests, weeds, and disease. Studies have found pesticide residues in a significant proportion of conventional wines — residues that are absent or minimal in certified organic wine.

THE WINERY — FEWER ADDITIVES IN ORGANIC WINE

EU regulations for certified organic wine also restrict what can be added in the winery. Sulphite additions are permitted at lower levels than in conventional wine. Some other additives permitted in conventional winemaking are restricted or prohibited for organic wine.

THE TASTE — DOES ORGANIC WINE TASTE DIFFERENT?

Many wine experts believe organic wines taste more expressive of their origin — more terroir-driven, more vibrant, and more honest. Healthier soil grows healthier vines that produce more naturally balanced fruit. Less intervention in the winery means more of that natural character reaches your glass.

Whether you can taste the difference in a blind tasting is debated. But the quality of the ingredients — clean, organically farmed grapes — gives organic wine a genuine head start.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC AT LOCO WINES

Every wine in the Loco range is certified organic by an independent certification body. Not just a claim — a verified fact. Shop at locowines.co.uk.