It would be interesting to imagine how the history of wine would have evolved if man's intervention in grape varieties had not been so massive. It is likely that the quantity, variety, but also quality that wine lovers can enjoy today would never have been achieved, and that today's wine landscape would not be so broad and multifaceted.

Although the innovations developed over the centuries have been instrumental in achieving today's production results, the hand of man has not always acted in the best interests of the environment. For this reason, a green counter-trend has emerged in recent years.

So here is an essential overview of Italian organic wines, including definitions and tasting tips!

Organic, biodynamic, natural, organic and vegan wines: green production with many faces

The world of wine is multifaceted and complex, but so is the legislative world charged with regulating it at European level. Hence the confusion that characterises natural wines, which can be referred to with different terminology depending on the specific production methods.

Without getting too lost in articulate wording, producing wine using natural methods means minimising human intervention in the various processing steps, while limiting the use of chemicals. Centuries ago, this approach would have been the norm, but innovations in the sector and the demands of the market have led to a progressive optimisation and industrialisation of production methods.

The growing need to favour environmentally friendly agriculture - together with the predilection of a large section of consumers for quality and sustainable wines - has pushed the wine industry in a greener direction, which takes shape in these distinctions:

• Organic wine: recognised at the legislative level by specific European certifications, organic wine is produced according to methods that aim to eliminate the use of chemical substances, replacing them with fertilisers and natural treatments. Certain wine-making practices are also prohibited, in order to preserve the integrity and naturalness of the product.

• Biodynamic wine: biodynamic agriculture requires that the wine processing phases respect natural rhythms, without forcing, in order to protect the plants and the soil that nourishes them, which in turn is composed of a precious ecosystem. Cultivation is facilitated through the use of natural products, while in the cellar the use of sulphites is limited, lower than both traditional and organic wines.

• Natural wine: natural viticulture is carried out with the intention of supplanting chemical additives and further limiting human intervention in the processing steps. To make this possible, the selected grape varieties are naturally resistant and not the result of genetic reinforcement. In the cellar, fermentation takes place spontaneously, with the very limited addition of sulphur dioxide.

• Vegan wine: wines produced according to green and sustainable methods also include vegan wines, which are produced at all stages without the use of products of natural origin. During winemaking, for example, the use of albumin, casein and animal gelatin is forbidden, in favour of vegetable alternatives.

Organic wine in Italy: the leading regions

Italy holds a prominent role on the world wine scene, both in terms of wine sales and area under vine. This raises many questions among wine lovers about the Peninsula's actual contribution to the spread of organic production. The Wine Observatory of Unione Italiana Vini has shared rather encouraging data on sustainable wine in Italy, highlighting a considerable commitment on the part of many realities.

Among the main Italian wine regions producing green wines are Sicily, Apulia, Tuscany and Marche (but also other regions), which have proven to be particularly active in the country's agro-ecological transition process. And they do so starting from the pillars of their wine tradition, giving consumers excellent varieties of Nero d'Avola, Primitivo, Grillo, Chianti, Verdeca, Verdicchio and many others, produced strictly with organic Italian grapes.

This approach is increasingly important in a world plagued by the consequences of pollution, which can be reduced by rediscovering a love for the land and for a wine that - even without labels - can be described as simply free.

Nature on the table: wine and organic food pairings

This guide to organic wines would not be complete without a few pairing tips to turn an entire menu into an interesting and environmentally friendly tasting experience!

We start in pink, with a glass of 'eColosi' Nero d'Avola Rosé DOC 2022, a wine with mauve nuances that counterbalances the intensity of the fruity tones - among which notes of grapefruit and pomegranate emerge - with a good level of acidity on the palate. Serve with seafood aperitifs, from oysters to sushi, from fish balls to shrimp cocktails or octopus salad. Thanks to the moderate, but present, level of tannins, it is also excellent with meaty appetisers, such as sausage rolls, pigs in blankets, nuggets, chicken wings and various cured meats.

The choice of wine is even more important when the main courses come to the table, the ones that fill the stomach with food and the mind with good memories. With the tasty and full-bodied casseroles of the English tradition - bubble and squeak, bread and butter pudding or meat pies - but also with roast beef, roasts and sausages, you need a product with a strong character, which goes as well with carbohydrates as with beef and pork. The choice among organic wines may fall on an 'Ancinorè' Primitivo Manduria DOC 2022. Characterised by an intense ruby red colour, it conquers the nose with a complex bouquet, in which notes of blueberries and plums can be distinguished, with softer hints of cocoa and vanilla. On the palate it is tasty and persistent, a true excellence among Italian reds!

With fish, on the other hand - such as a hearty barbecue in the garden with friends - fresh, lively whites are more suitable, such as a 'Diego' Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Bio 2022, which adapts to the sweetish hints of shellfish and the bitterish nuance of grilled food thanks to its natural minerality and savouriness, and that almond aftertaste that makes the taste even more special.

Finally, you can end it all with a dessert, preferably a fruit dessert, in view of the warmer days. What to drink with sundaes, puddings, cheesecakes, cakes with cream and strawberries, tarts and the like? Among the best organic Italian wines is 'Ra'is' Moscato Terre Siciliane IGT, an excellent end-of-meal or meditation wine that bewitches the senses with a slightly coppery colour and full-bodied aromas of candied oranges, apricots and honey, but also with an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity.

Do you love wine, but also the environment? Discover Svinando's wide range of organic wines by exploring the catalogue!