Celebrate Non-GMO Month with Non-GMO Wines

Non-GMO Organic Wines for Non-GMO Month

October is Non-GMO Month and we are celebrating by offering the widest selection of Non-GMO wines available. Our 54 wines from throughout Europe and South America were the first imported wines to obtain Non-GMO Project Verification, and we continue to add more products regularly.

Non-GMO wines are made with grapes grown in harmony with nature, respecting the delicate ecosystem around us. All of our organic wine partners use organic or Biodynamic agricultural and production processes that don’t pollute the air, the water or the soil. All wines are made with 100% organically grown grapes and many are USDA Certified organic with no sulfites added.

According to the Hartman Organic and Natural Report 2018 consumer awareness of GMOs is almost universal with 97% of consumers aware of GMOs. As consumer awareness has grown an increasing amount of shoppers have begun seeking to avoid GMOs. Hartman reports that 46% of shoppers deliberately avoid GMOs when shopping.

How Are Genetically Modified Ingredients Being Used in Conventional Wines?

Ingredients used in wine production can include a GM yeast called ML01, which is approved for use in wine production in the U.S. (by the FDA) and Canada. Our winery partners use only indigenous “wild” or cultivated organic yeast.
Some wineries use fining and clarification agents such as casein that could be derived from GM milk. Our winery partners use only Bentonite clay or pea protein as fining agents and no additional clarification agents are used in production.
Genetically modified Enzymes may be used as processing aids in some wines. See the many programs and research being conducted at the Institute for Wine Biotechnology in South Africa.
CO2 can be added to some sparkling wines, and that can be derived from ethanol, which could be made with genetically modified corn.
Even genetically modified wine grapes have been in field trials for years in both the US and Europe.

We have gone the extra mile to have our organic wines Non-GMO Project verified. Only wines that go through this rigorous verification process can make that claim. During the Verification process, we learned a great deal about every aspect of our winery partners’ production. For example, many of our winery partners use indigenous “wild” yeast fermentations in their wines, and do not “inoculate” the wines with the addition of yeast during production. Indigenous yeast fermentation starts by itself when wild yeast strains – originating in the vineyard – start fermenting. Others cultivate or utilize selected organic yeast strains. Only naturally produced, vegetarian fining agents, such as Bentonite clay and pea protein, are used by all wineries. Both preclude any possible contamination by some of these common GMO sources.

Celebrate by Pledging to Drink Non-GMO Wines!

According to the Non-GMO Project, “More than 12,000 grocery stores across the U.S. and Canada take part in our annual Non‐GMO Month, a 31-day celebration to educate the public and spotlight Non-GMO Project Verified choices on shelves. This month-long event provides a platform for citizens like you to stand up for non-GMO (non-genetically modified organism) choices in the food we eat and feed our families.”

How to Get Involved in Non-GMO Month

Search for Non-GMO Month events near you here.

The Non-GMO Project encourages you to “Choose Non-GMO Project Verified products. Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal on products and use our online shopping guide and mobile app to locate Verified products. Swap out one GMO-risk product with a Verified one or make every breakfast totally non-GMO. Or perhaps you’ll decide to eat non-GMO for the entire month. Choosing Non-GMO Project Verified products has a positive impact on the entire food supply chain. If we stop eating GMOs, producers will stop using them in our food.”

Learn more about Non-GMO wines at nongmowines.com and watch the video below for a quick Non-GMO Wines 101. Look for the butterfly on shelf tags or neck tags in your favorite store. You can purchase our Non-GMO Project Verified wines at Whole Foods Market , 365 by Whole Foods, and other fine retailers nationwide. Share your favorite wine and Non-GMO meal pairing on your social media pages using the hashtags #NonGMOMonth, #NonGMOProject, #GoNonGMO and #LookfortheButterfly.