Hey, check out these auctions:

"Bonterra" Organic Wine Bag

US $5.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday May-25-2012 15:22:12 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

200 g Mulled Wine - organic spice mixture 28,5€/1 kg [#378]

US $7.25 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 11:21:52 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $7.25 Buy it now | Add to watch list

2011 Vintage Print Emiliana organic vineyards wine in Spanish Advertising

US $3.00 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 16:12:06 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $3.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dandelion seeds (organic) for wine

US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 10:44:45 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

Wine "Organic" Wood Earrings Jewelry

US $11.99 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 12:15:32 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $11.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list

A key point to add at this stage is the difference between organically grown grapes – fruit from vineyards grown without the use of industrial fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides – and wines made without synthetic preservative additives.

Organic Vineyards – Where it all begins!

An organic vineyard is one where grapes are grown without chemical fertilizers, weed killers, insecticides, or other synthetic chemicals. This prevents damage to soil and ensures that no chemicals end up in the wine as residue. Organic farmers aim to maintain healthy, biologically active soil whose fertility is provided by plants that fix nitrogen from the air. In the vineyard it means planting cover crops between the avenues of the vines instead of applying herbicide. Naturally occurring plant or mineral extracts leave no residue in the soil, and weeds are kept down with the use of mechanical and hand hoes. Biodiversity is promoted through the plants, which help regulate the vineyard soil by attracting beneficial insects, spiders and predatory mites.

The Role of Certification and the Organic Market

When a label says organic, it means the wine has met certain standards that are set by a government agency. Different nations have their own certification criteria, so whats organic in one country may not be so in another. In the UK the Soil Association is the most recognized and used certification body.

Many wineries that are technically organic still choose not to be certified. There are many reasons for this. Some do not want the added costs and bureaucracy of registering. Others may disagree with their governments standards. Whatever the case, they are not allowed to use organic on their labels.

There is a national government target for 30 per cent of all UK farmland to be organic or in conversion by 2010, and 20 per cent of the food consumed to be organic by 2010. The UK grocery market was worth $206 billion in 2006 and USA 634.7$ billion. This growth in the organic food market will have a knock on effect on the drinks industry and will meet the ever-growing demand from consumers for organic wine, which is better for drinkers and better for the environment.

Financial Incentives to Companies to turn Organic

In 2005, 39% of the world organic farmland is in Australia and New Zealand. To combat this The European Union (EU) offers financial support to organic farmers as an incentive for farmers to convert to organic production and help the sector grow. These grants provide farmers with assistance during the period of conversion to organic farming which usually takes three years.

Organic spirits

While not so widely available as organic wine, organic spirits are available through specialist suppliers. The production process for organic spirits does not differ widely from conventional production. The main difference lies in the use of organic raw materials. Organic beers tend to use organic hops in production. Organic beer is now available in a number of pubs and supermarkets throughout the UK.

Fancy visiting an organic vineyard?

If you are into Organic wine why not visit Englands Premier organic vineyard. In addition to processing fruit on site, Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard is one of the main tourist attractions in the 1066 Country region in and around Hastings attracting some 5,000 visitors per annum to its Vineyard & Woodland Nature Trail + Wine tasting.

To buy organic wine or to read more organic related articles go to the Organic Directory in GuideMeGreen.com

Visit Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard

You might get confused and wonder how on earth you can go more organic than a wine, right?

The fact of the matter is that even though we aren’t aware of it, grape crops to a very great extent are sprayed with as many different pesticides as needed to keep away the all-encompassing weeds, bugs and other of nature’s little nasties which might destroy precious wine crops.

What all that means to us, is that we’re drinking pesticide inflicted wines. It might not always come through as a pesticide taint in the wines, but nevertheless it is there. And that’s where organic wines steps in.

These vintners have tried different methods to retain their wine crops without resorting to the use of harmful pesticides.

So whereas you won’t see row upon row of beautifully tended and well kept wine vines, at these organic vineyards you will instead find a wonderful disarray of grape vines that have been allowed to grow in harmony with nature and not against it.

Organic vintners use natural bug and weed beating methods like birds and bees and cover crops.

Although this sounds all well and good, unfortunately in the wine business, just as in any other business the bottom line is the king, and money truly does talk.

There might be more than a few of these organic vineyards around today with more yet, set to spring up over the years, or be converted, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll see a mass move towards going organic in most of the vineyards.

Hey, check out these auctions:

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's T-Shi 620690521

US $28.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 22:36:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $28.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's T-Shi 620690521

US $28.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 22:36:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $28.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's T-Shi 620690521

US $31.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 22:36:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $31.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Women's Fit 620690505

US $28.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:01:29 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $28.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Women's Fit 620690505

US $28.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:01:29 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $28.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Thanksgiving. Christmas. Hanukkah. Kwanzaa. New Years. Just reading the names of these holidays can stir up feelings of excitement, wonder and celebration. We get together with people we love and celebrate life. We eat and drink and talk about the year that was, the year that will be and our hopes for the future. And we give thanks for the many things we have been given.

Celebrations like these require special food and drink. We make huge dinners and surround ourselves with trays of sweets. We also make toasts with rich, full glasses of wine and sparkling, red studded cocktails.

This year, as more American’s have turned to green living practices, there are a growing number of products available to celebrate the holidays green too. Organic turkeys, locally grown produce, LED twinkle lights and other increasingly popular eco-friendly product are now at our disposal. And now, so are sustainable wines and spirits.

Sustainable wines and spirits include libations that have been made using organically grown grapes, environmentally-friendly business and/or farming practices, and recyclable packaging. For any green wine, liquor or beer, read the label to understand how the company is sustainable or do a little poking around online to find a label that you are comfortable with. Not all may follow the same guidelines as to what they constitute “sustainable”

Green Spirits

A number of distilleries are now developing green spirits. International distilleries like Reyka Vodka are creating their product using the renewable geothermal energy that exists under Iceland. Others like Square One Organic Vodka are using organically grown products as the base for their liquor. The company uses organic rye and spring water produced in the Midwest United States and gets 25% of its distillery’s energy from wind farms. For tequila fans, there is only one USDA-certified organic tequila available. The 4Copas from Mexico is made using no pesticides or growth hormones and is packaged using recycled paper.

These cocktails are popping up more and more at local restaurants and bars and may be a perfect addition to a company holiday party. When possible, ask about local distillers in your area that may have an eco-friendly vodka or tequila you can add to your cocktail list.

Sustainable Wines

Wine makers were early pioneers of organics in the United States. Many wineries are turning to sustainable farming and cultivating practices to make high-quality red and white organic wines. Oregon organic wines like the Eco-Wine from Amity Vineyard have no detectable sulfites. Others like the wines made in California’s Beckmen Vineyards or Gypsy Canyon Winery are biodynamic, meaning that they were farmed using an all-natural system of farming, without chemicals or synthetic fertilizers. They also use the farms own resources to maintain and sustain the crop. The strength in these wines is that the makers have figured out sustainable practices they can follow that still produce incredible, unique wines. With a table full of fresh sweet potatoes, carrots and home-made stuffing, a bold glass of an organic wine is an excellent way to toast to the many things we should be thankful for.

~Ben Anton, 2008

The term â??organicâ? is cropping up more and more when it comes to food and drink production in the 21st Century. It demands a cleaner and a non-chemically grown product. But how does this affect wine production and can there be such a thing as a wine company who can produce truly organic wine and stay in business?

As the organic movement grows, there is pressure from environmentalists and increasingly choosy customers to know exactly what goes into their food and drink before they purchase it. Organic wines have previously been accused of being dull, and most of the worldâ??s â??bestâ? wines have long been produced in a far from organic way.

The place to start when talking about organic wine is to decide exactly what the term â??organicâ? means to you.

Organic wine is made without the use of synthetic fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. It is also vacant of artificial preservatives or colourings, which may be added to non-organic varieties.

But why go organic? It is thought that many of our foodstuffs have been tainted with chemical build up through the use of non-natural pesticides or fertilisers on the plants they grow and that your body could be affected by consuming them. The build-up of these chemicals, it is claimed by environmentalists, have the potential to cause long-term health problems or could contribute to developing allergies. There is also the question of chemicals from treated crops going into the ground and ending up in drinking water, an issue that has already led to many changes in general crop production and water treatment.

Most commercial crops are grown with the use of fertilisers and other chemicals who kill things that can harm the crop. Continued use of these chemicals can weaken the soil and start to upset the eco-system in the ground. They also lead to some pests developing a tolerance to them which encourages the further development and use of stronger chemicals and further builds up chemicals in the product itself.

The alternative to all this is to grow plants organically. Organic farming is a more time consuming method of production and needs time to replenish the natural eco-system too. Setting up an organic farm means taking time to tackle weeds by hand,

encouraging natural predators of pests who frequent the vineyard, and where this does not work, finding other ways of tackling the many organisms that harm crops. Fertilizer will be compost or animal manure, and a system of planting flowers and herbs to create biological diversity has to be included in an organic vineyard.

Vineyards face an additional problem â?? mildew and black rot. These are diseases that can ruin a crop and in some cases destroy a whole vineyard. This makes growing organic vines very difficult in regions where there is a lot of humidity. Therefore organic production is most common in hot dry regions where fungal infections are less likely, and where extra labour can more easily be afforded.

To be able to sell as an organic vineyard, the organisation has to be recognised by one of the official certification bodies across the world.

Hey, check out these auctions:

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's Fitte 620690525

US $25.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:21:12 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $25.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's Fitte 620690525

US $25.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:21:12 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $25.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

100% Pure Organic Red Wine Restervol Facial Scrub 4 oz

US $21.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:49:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $21.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's T-Shi 620690520

US $28.00 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 0:06:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $28.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cougar Town On Deck Wine Organic Men's T-Shi 620690520

US $28.00 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 0:06:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $28.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

First of all, we need to explain what an organic wine is. An organic wine is made from grapes grown according to the organic agriculture. That means any chemical products as pesticides, fertilisers and insecticides are used into the vine. All of these things damage the soil and can end up in the wine as residue. The legal definition of Organic Wine is somewhat more complicated and varies according to where the vineyard is, where the grapes are from it are fermented into wine and, finally, in which market it will be sold. In all cases, the owner must be able to prove which vineyard the grapes come from, which officially recognized body certified the vineyard as organic and from what date certified organic practices began.

The idea is that making wine from grapes grown without man-made chemicals is better both for the planet and for the wine drinker, because there are no chemical residues to end up either in the vineyard soil or in the wine.

Organic Vineyards promote polyculture (biodiversity) by allowing plants other than vines to grow in and around the vineyard. This sort of biodiversity helps regulate the vineyard soil.

So, when you decide to buy and taste a bottle of organic wine, you do 2 gests. On for the planet and the environment (as any chemical products are used) and a second towards you as there is no residue into the wine you will taste.

Some tips now to enjoy organic wine.

In most case, decanting benefits both the appearance and the taste of the wine. Decanting helps the appearance by leaving any sediment in the wine at the bottom of the bottle the wine came in, rather in your glass. Remember that organic wines are often bottled without fining or filtration, so they are likely to contain sediment. This is often a good sign in a wine. Decanting helps the wine to breathe and develop all its aromas.

If after all, you are not convinced, why not pop in a real good independent wine merchant to have a little tasting and let yourself be seduced by the wine.