Wine list: Just how environmentally friendly is wine?

Sustainability has been a buzz word in the wine world for decades but just how environmentally friendly is wine? Grape growing is a monoculture and just as Spring barley growers spray for weeds and aphids, so vignerons use herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. Viticulture represents 3% of agricultural land in France and uses more than 20% of the pesticides. France is by no means unusual in this but at least their government is taking action and under the new Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification scheme aiming to reduce pesticide spraying by 50% by 2025.

Organic farming represents 3% of the world’s viticulture while Europe boasts 8% with Austria leading the way at 15%. If a producer does go organic they should get better grapes but they will also suffer a yield loss of up to 30% — not all producers can afford to take the risk.