10 Sustainable Wines, Ciders, & Ferments
You might be thinking… What could be so unsustainable about wine? It already comes in glass bottles! You’re right — wine is already more plastic-free than some of our other food and bev products. However, those glass wine bottles still account for about 29% of the carbon emissions released by the wine industry. Wine agriculture has also contributed to the desertification and deforestation of environments like Mendoza, Argentina; Northern Italy; and Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
As a younger generation of sustainable baddies comes of age and enters our wine-drinking era, we’re demanding more natural wines that are less harmful to our environments but still please our eyes and palates. Although there’s still room to grow, many farmers and wine producers are making strides toward producing biodynamic wines for a climate-concerned consumer base. Grapes grown through biodynamic methods, or vineyards that incorporate space for biodiversity to occur to increase the organic matter within the soil, can produce a healthier grape crop, giving us more flavorful wines. Cideries and other fermenters are taking advantage of the already susty nature of fruited beverages and making them even more sustainable through organic farming methods and community outreach. As natural wine lovers ourselves (skin-contact girlies rise up), let’s walk through some of the susty winemakers and fermenters in the movement right now!
Of course, we at Sustainable Baddie don’t endorse excessive alcohol consumption. Baddies, drink responsibly and in moderation!
1. Zafa Wines
Zafa Wines is a Black woman-owned winery based in Vermont that uses regenerative farming, without the use of pesticides, to create natural wines and fruited ferments. The name Zafa itself holds anti-colonial and regenerative values in its definition, and the winery’s methods of farming, labor, and production uphold said values. Zafa makes fermented fruit wines with a variety of fruit blends for every wine drinker's palate.
As former marine scientists, the brains behind Gentle Folk Wines put science and the environment first. Their small team of just five other members farms a small space in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, the site where the founders learned wine farming. They use biodynamic farming methods by flowering cover crops and keeping animals to graze the fields. They harvest Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc grapes by hand every year.
This Japanese Vineyard utilizes the natural landscape of Japan, particularly the limestone soil, to farm their grapes. In order to preserve the land where these grapes are grown, Domain Tetta does not spray any chemicals on plants and their wines are made from 100% raw materials using a slow fermentation process. They use a gravity flow process in their wineries, which moves the wine and fruit through gravity, making it gentler on the product.
4. Broc Cellars
Based in Berkeley, California, Broc Cellars makes natural wines by using organic and locally grown grapes. Like many other natural winemakers, they use cover crops to help boost soil health and allow sheep to graze their crops, providing natural fertilizer. They also have a line of wines called LOVE wines that comes in both bottles and cans (for sipping the casual way).
5. Maloof Wines
Maloof wines are made in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Their farms prioritize all organic methods, and each farm is certified organic (or in the process of becoming certified). Their wine focuses on Pinot Gris varieties but includes Chardonnay, Riesling, and other grapes as well.
Cider is a naturally sustainable drink because it requires very little energy to produce. Hudson North Cider sources locally to cut down on transportation energy, and gives back to the planet where they can. Through their Taps for Trails program, they are able to raise money through cider profits to send back to organizations that are working to maintain trails in their local areas of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Finger Lakes regions.
Nouveau makes natural and low-intervention wine in South Africa. These extremely aesthetic wine bottles are all made in small batches and sourced from farmers who are using organic and sustainable practices. Their wines are vegan-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about any extra animal products sneaking into your wine-drinking experience.
Hana Makgeolli is a Korean rice wine producer located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Their sool (the Korean word for alcohol) is made using organic rice and traditional methods that minimize any additives or chemicals in the process. Their product is made entirely manually, making it a low-energy practice as well. This careful and traditional method of brewing Korean rice wine creates a milky, botanic, and naturally sweet drink.
This California-based wine brand makes delicious wines packaged entirely in cans. Although you might be thinking, isn't singular packaging more wasteful? Alternative packaging for wine can help minimize weight and lessen the amount of energy needed to deliver and distribute this product (distribution accounts for a large portion of wine industry pollution). Their cans are totally recyclable and purposefully lightweight, so they use less energy to deliver all over the country. Additionally, these wines are totally vegan and use all organic farming methods.
This wine and cidery in Red Hook, Brooklyn specializes in making delicious low-intervention wine and ciders using locally grown ingredients. Rose Hill Farms approaches its production with zero-waste in mind. By not filtering their wines they are able to entirely use their fruits to make flavorful and delicious ciders.