The Best Sustainable Wine Brands

Sustainable wine is wine that has been cultivated with the environment in mind, from grapes to glass.

If you’re wondering whether a wine is truly sustainable, check what third-party certifications they have. If you’re not on the vineyard, look at the labels to find out if the winemaker’s priorities align with your own.

For example, if you’re excited about regenerative agriculture, choose a winery that either has the ROA certification or is pursuing it. Remember, once a vineyard passes certification requirements, the wine you’re buying might not yet be certified, since it takes time for those grapes to get to your glass.

Organic wine generally means that the grapes haven’t been treated with harmful pesticides or herbicides, but there may be additives in the final product. Organic also doesn’t mean that the wine is vegan, but it does mean it was farmed in a way that’s better for the land than commercial farming practices. Check for the USDA organic seal or European equivalent to ensure you’re purchasing a certified organic product. 

In both wine and food, “natural” doesn’t hold very much weight. Almost anyone can claim a product is natural, so we recommend staying away from brands using this language as a greenwashing tactic.

Biodynamic wine is organic plus. It’s made with as little human intervention as possible and incorporates crucial elements that keep the planet healthy, like biodiversity, soil health, and eco-friendly farming practices. Biodynamic farming uniquely prioritizes the land instead of exploiting it.

On its own, the impact of making wine can be harmful. But not all wine production is bad for the environment. Silver Oak adheres to LEED certification requirements, which means their wine production doesn’t have the same impact as a non-sustainable wine brand. 

Similarly, wineries that offset their emissions aren’t environmentally harmful. By pursuing carbon neutrality, wineries are helping to combat the effects of climate change from agriculture and production. In many cases, wine production actually rehabilitates land to make it healthier for animals and plants.

Not only is sustainable wine better for the land, animals, and people growing it, it’s safer for you to drink. Wine isn’t required to have an ingredients label, but you might be surprised to learn that there are many additives used in the commercial wine industry. Yeast, added sulfites, sugar, and even a super grape concentrate called Mega Purple sometimes go into bottles. These ingredients can cause headaches for some wine drinkers and aren’t necessary for a fantastic glass of white or red wine.

When you purchase wine from a vineyard like Brooks or Tablas, who are both Demeter Biodynamic Certified, you know that nothing extra (or potentially harmful) has been added during the bottling process.