New Zealand Turanga Creek Wines

Specifications

BUYING ORGANIC
Many people start their journey into organics by buying and growing their own organic food in an effort to avoid commercially produced fruit and vegetables, which have been sprayed with chemicals and pesticides.
It surprises us that this organic trend is lagging when it comes to wine. Is it because we see wine differently, because it is alcohol?
Here are some reasons why you should consider converting to organic wine.
Organic wine is made from grapes which are free from chemicals and pesticides
Grapes used for winemaking can be subject to up to sixteen various chemicals and pesticides, making them one of the most sprayed crops. For this reason there is a significant movement by winemakers internationally to organic wine.
In a recent investigation, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) tested a variety of grapes found in supermarkets and found 26 different chemicals, with one grape sample containing 10 different residues.
“Cancers, endocrine disruption, foetal abnormalities, neurological disease and many other conditions have been proven to be associated with pesticides as found in NZFSA residue surveys, yet in the name of trade, NZFSA, Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) continue to allow unnecessary chemical use and residues.”
Steffan Browning - Soil & Health Association of New Zealand
Pesticides contain things like neurotoxins and organophosphates. Neurotoxins are damaging to brain and nerve cells. Organophosphates were originally developed as a toxic nerve agent during World War I. When there was no longer a need for them in warfare, they were adapted to kill pests on foods.
Organic wine growing relies on natural fertilisers such as animal manure, seaweed, composts and teas for soil and plant health along with ecological processes, biodiversity and large scale netting to keep pests away.
Organic wines contain less sulfites then traditional wines
Sulfites are a form of salt, and like salt, the less the better.
Sulfites occur naturally in winemaking and are often added to aid preservation. Although organic wines aren’t necessarily sulfite free, you can be assured they won’t have had much sulfites added as other wines. The permissible limit of sulfites for organic wine is 100 parts per million.
Organic practices are better for the environment and us
Protect water quality - Water makes up two-thirds of our body mass and covers three-fourths of the planet. Chemicals and pesticides are entering our sources of drinking water.
Save energy - With an array of machinery available, modern winemaking uses more petroleum than ever before. In the US, more energy is being used to make synthetic fertilisers than is used in harvesting crops.
Protect winery worker’s health - A study by the US National Cancer Institute found that people exposed to herbicides had a six times greater risk of contracting cancer.
Organic wine tastes better!
Just like that tomato or strawberry you grew organically in your garden tastes better than anything else you have tried, wine made from organically farmed grapes tastes better too!
It's not a general rule and winemaking is a complex process but Turanga Creek believeorganic viticulture does have a positive impact on the quality of the wines. There is a reason why many of the best wines in the world from France, New-Zealand or other part of the world are made organically and/or bio-dynamically.
‘The best wine in the world is made organically, the best coffee in the world is made organically. The best tea in the world is made organically.’ - Wayne Allen – Owner, Turanga Creek
Certified organic
Those producing organic wines try to practice minimal intervention in their winemaking. Grapes are grown without chemicals and sometimes without irrigation. Many of the additives and techniques employed in conventional wineries are avoided.
In order for a winery to label their wine as organic they must be certified organic. The certification process is rigorous and ranges from soil tests to auditing inputs and accounts. The process takes three years.
To achieve 100% organic certification, the wine must be made with 100% organic ingredients i.e. organic grapes and organic ingredients used in the winemaking process.
Finding organic wine
Genuine organic wine will be certified by an organic certification agency such as BioGro. Look for the certification agency’s logo on the bottle.
Turanga Creek’s Conversion to Organics