The SW Summary: On sustainability trends in 2024, natural remedies in the vineyard, wine labelling reforms, and more
Sustainability is a key theme for 2024
In SevenFifty Daily Betsy Andrews looks ahead to the new year and forecasts the 6 key trends to watch out for. Sustainability is a core theme throughout, with a particular focus on soil health, labour, and diversity and inclusion. Andrews points out that whilst 2023 was a difficult year (climate crises, inflation, lower sales, labour shortages…), the wine industry has a lot to look forward to in 2024.
Regenerative agriculture has “become the new global sustainability standard,” and the uptake in regenerative farming practices is expected to continue to grow this year. Marta Mendonca of the Porto Protocol rightly warns of the danger of “regenawashing” (regenerative greenwashing), but third-party verification should help manage this risk through increased transparency. Tom Owtram, the operations and partnerships manager of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, notes how “it’s going to be part of how progressive retailers look at sustainability, and might be built into procurement policies. It’s going to be the year for regenerative viticulture in 2024.”
Social issues are also gaining more attention in the industry, especially after a number of labour and human rights abuses across wine regions in 2023. The Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian alcohol monopolies sponsored an SWR series on labour issues and human rights (you can find the recordings here), and the SWR is currently developing guidance on best labour practices. “Retailers want to see it addressed by suppliers,” Owtram says. Read the full article here.
From skim milk to seaweed: Natural remedies in the vineyard
For winemakers who transition away from chemical pesticides, the most common alternatives are organic-approved copper and sulfur-based products. However, some winemakers around the world are looking to solutions beyond these, experimenting with natural ingredients such as skim milk, seaweed and kelp. In Wine-Searcher Vicki Denig discusses the natural remedies being used in the vineyard and the outcomes so far.
In Barbaresco Gaia Gaja has tested a number of ingredients in her vineyards, including garlic, rosemary, yucca and orange. After diluting the herbal extracts in water, she then applies them directly onto the vines’ leaves. According to Gaja, garlic has lowered the pH level of the leaves’ surfaces, which “makes it more difficult for powdery mildew to attack.” She’s found clove and yucca to have the same effect.
Over in Savigny-lès-Beaune at Maison Chanterêves, Tomoko Kuriyama has found that skim milk helps combat powdery mildew. According to Kuriyama, skim milk also “acts as an excellent fertilizer for the canopy, as nutrients from the milk are absorbed directly through the foliage.” Seaweed is another alternative. According to Sam Garwin, director of market development at regenerative ocean farming organisation Greenwave, “seaweed has been used as an agricultural amendment for thousands of years…[and can] provide a suite of micronutrients and bioactive compounds that support plants and the soil to rebuild a healthy ecosystem on farms. Read more here.
New year, new UK wine reforms
In Harpers James Bayley reports on the new wine reforms that came into effect in the UK on 1st January 2024. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) removed the requirement for all imported wines to include an importer address on the label. As of this year, only the name and address of the food business operated (FBO) must be included. The move to allow a common label for both UK and EU markets “will significantly reduce the post-Brexit impact of having to have a unique UK label,” says Miles Beale, CEO of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).
The reforms also stipulate that English sparkling wine producers will no longer be required to use mushroom-shaped stoppers and foil covers on bottlenecks. This will enable producers to lower both costs and waste. Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, welcomes the reforms, noting how “there will be producers who are keen to take advantage of all and every option to reduce materials on bottles, so we can expect to see fewer foils on sparkling, allowing you to celebrate that bit faster, and with an environmental benefit.” Read more here.
US labelling laws developments expected in 2024
In Wine-Searcher Kathleen Willcox considers the incoming labelling laws in the US. Whilst already implemented in the EU, label changes in America are moving at a slow pace. In 2022 the Treasury Department’s Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced that it will require “”standardized alcohol content, calorie, and allergen labelling on all beer, wine and distilled spirits products. TTB also agreed to begin preliminary rulemaking on mandatory ingredient labelling.”
No real headway has been made since the press release, but progress is expected this year. WineAmerica, a lobbying organisation, expects the TTB to issue three proposals in 2024: Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for ingredient labelling and Notices of Proposed Rulemakings on nutrition information and allergen labelling.
Opinions on wine labelling laws are divided. Whilst increased transparency and consumer empowerment are of course in principle positive developments, some worry that listing “absolutely everything may have a detrimental effect on wine consumption.” Wine expert and educator at Flatiron Wines & Spirit Annie Edgerton, points out how “people may wonder ‘what is calcium carbonate and why is it in my wine?’ But consumers should know when the color has been adjusted, and when there is an above average level of residual sugar.” Read more here.
