I like (OK…I love) wine. But is there a way to drink “green”?

We posed this question to Bill Sweat, co-founder of Winderlea Vineyard & Winery in Oregon.

Here’s what he had to say:

My most important advice: Develop a relationship with your local wine shop. They’ll get to know your tastes, and they’ll help you discover new wines. The people who own and work in wine shops know the stories of the wines they sell, and that will usually include how the vineyards are farmed and how the wine is made. Plus, they are probably pretty great people who know all the best places to eat and will invite you to special wine tastings!

Second, when most wineries talk about being green they’re talking about their farming and perhaps their management practices but not necessarily about their winemaking. It’s easy for the customer to get confused over terms like ‘farmed organic’, ‘biodynamic’, or ‘sustainable practices’. Also, many wineries don’t get certified because they think the process is too time-consuming, expensive, or both.

I’m so confused! I see organic, biodynamic, and/or sustainable on the label–what’s the difference? Why does it matter?

Here’s a quick overview:

• There are lots of organizations that certify sustainable farming practices. One of the largest is the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC). Winderlea is certified by LIVE — Low Input Viticulture and Enology. We’re happy about that because LIVE is a “whole farm” program: their guidelines apply to the entire property, not just individual crops.

• In the US, organic farming rules are set by the National Organic Program of the USDA. “Class O”, for organically grown, prevents synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Instead, we Class O farms use compost, crop rotation, green manures, and natural predation of pests. Note: There is also organic certification for wine production, which means sulfur is not used during the production process, leading to potentially harmful sulfites. That’s why most wines are not certified organic. It’s much more common to find wines made from organic certified grapes.

• Biodynamics is a whole-farm philosophy that begins with the same requirements as organic farming: no synthetic fertilizers, no pesticides, in favor of composting. Biodynamics uses homeopathic sprays to encourage natural growth — small amounts of manure, herbs, silica, for example. Now for the funky part: biodynamic farming assumes that the planets have an impact on the development of the soil and plants and so relies on an astronomical calendar for determining when to take different actions. Skeptics view this as voodoo, but there is no denying that some of the best vineyards in the world farm use Biodynamic practices, including ours!

Stay tuned for Bill’s recommendations on specific wines to try. And, if you already have favorites, or questions for Bill, please send them in.

My favorite is Winderlea’s 2007 Estate Pinot Noir. What is yours?