The Slow Wine Coalition brings together everyone involved in the international wine chain, from farmers and viticulturalists to distributors and sommeliers.
Sustainable winemakers encourage biodiversity through practices such as: alternating vineyards with hedges and wooded areas; soil management practices that include grass and green manure and exclude, in any case, bare soil, with potential exceptions for short, seasonal periods; the protection of pollinating insects and useful fauna through the use of insecticides which are allowed in organic farming, where such interventions are necessary, and in any case avoiding their use during the flowering of the vine and of other herbaceous species present in the vineyard; the breeding of animals with respect for their welfare and the production of manure on the farm, as well as the production of compost from pruning residues and other organic materials.
The Slow Wine Coalition stands for the following:
1) Wineries must grow a minimum 70% of the grapes used in the production of their wine themselves. Exceptions are given for regions in which widespread sourcing is common, e.g. Madeira, Napa Valley, the south of Spain, etc.
2) Wineries may not use chemically synthesized fertilizers, herbicides, or anti-botrytis fungicides.
3) A conscious and sustainable approach to the use of environmental resources in winemaking must be applied. Dependence on irrigation systems must be limited and should only aim to avoid critical water-stress conditions.
4) Winery buildings, should they need to be constructed, must respect their environmental surroundings. Management, upkeep and eventual restauration of extant buildings should take sustainability into account.
5) Wineries should not utilize techniques like reverse osmosis or other physical methods of must concentration. Furthermore, the addition of RCGM (rectified concentrated grape must) or sugar (according to the country of production) is not permitted, with the exception of sparkling wines or wines where these practices fall under traditional techniques. Oak chips used to aromatize wines are also prohibited.
6) Permitted levels of sulfites should not exceed the limits listed under the European Union’s regulations for organic wine.
7) The wines must show terroir and reflect their place of origin. It is for this reason that we encourage the use of indigenous yeasts, as well as scientific research to isolate native yeasts which can then be replicated and used by the winery or other winemakers of the same area and geographical denomination
8) The wines must be free of any winemaking defects, as they tend to homogenize the wines and stamp out any regional identity.
9) Wineries should actively engage and collaborate with the entire surrounding farming community in order to strengthen and enhance the agricultural system of the area. In this vein, the winery must maintain a principled relationship with its associates, as well as its employees, fostering personal and professional growth. It is moreover important that the winery cooperates and shares knowledge with other producers, avoiding unfair competition.