Robert Parker Wine Advocate Announces Launch of Organic and Biodynamic Wine Search Filters and the Robert Parker Green Emblem: Recognising Extraordinary Sustainable Efforts in Wine Production
24 wineries from around the world achieve Robert Parker Wine Advocate reviewers’ recognition in the inaugural 2021 list
SINGAPORE & NAPA - Media OutReach - 30 June 2021 - Today, Robert Parker Wine Advocate unveils two
brand new search filter capabilities on the RobertParker.com website: the
ability to search for wines that are certified organic and/or certified
biodynamic. Adding to these new search functions is the Robert Parker Green Emblem – a recognitiongiven to selected wineries that have demonstrated extraordinary
efforts in the pursuit of environmentally friendly practices.
Definition of Terms
Certified: A "certified" organic or biodynamic wine is one that has been
farmed and/or made by methods that have been audited and verified as organic
or biodynamic, as dictated by the regulations of one of the
internationally recognised third-party organisations.
Organic: Organic
viticulture involves a regulated set of farming principles, the degree of
strictness versus conventional farming depending on the countries in which the
grapes are produced and where the wine is sold. Throughout the world where the
use of the word "organic" is legally controlled and protected, regulations can
vary. In order to declare grapes as organically grown, the producer will need
to seek certification by a recognised third-party auditing institution within
the country of production. Usually, a vineyard will need to go through a
three-year conversion period of documented and randomly tested adherence to the
national legal guidelines before an organically grown certification can be
granted. Generally speaking, organic grape growing precludes the use of
artificial chemicals such as chemical fertilisers, herbicides and synthetic
pesticides in the vineyard. Most countries allow naturally occurring compounds
to be applied within stricter limits than conventional agriculture, such as the
limited use of sulfur and copper spraying in vineyards for the production of
wines from "organically grown grapes." Major organic
certifying organisations around the world include: Ecocert, USDA Organic,
BioGro NZ, Australian Certified Organic and EU Organic.
Biodynamic: First
established by Rudolf Steiner in 1924, biodynamics is a set of farming
practices that follow more philosophically based guidelines than those of
conventional farming. It essentially uses a foundation of organic farming
methods, such as the exclusion of artificial chemicals, and builds upon these.
For example, specially crafted composts and herbal infusions are applied with
rigor to vineyards. The movements and phases of celestial bodies are commonly
used to determine the timing of key winemaking practices. Biodynamic certifying organisations include: Demeter and
Biodyvin.
Robert Parker Green Emblem: Recognises a winery or producer
that extends their efforts far beyond the requirements for organic and/or biodynamic
certification, serving as true ambassadors for environmentally friendly
practices.
Criteria for Awarding the Robert Parker Green Emblem
To qualify for this award, a winery
may or may not already be organic and/or biodynamic certified. Beyond or apart
from certification, the producer needs to be an outstanding proponent of
sustainability who looks towards long-term environmental protection and
biodiversity. The Robert Parker Green Emblem is carefully considered and is
given on rare and exceptional merit.
Each year, Robert Parker Wine
Advocate reviewers nominate new candidates from their regions that they feel
are worthy for the Robert Parker Green Emblem. Each nomination is researched
and discussed across the editorial group. Once a winery is recognised, all of
their wines will carry the Robert Parker Green Emblem going forward, until
changes at the winery may result in the recognition being rescinded.
Says Nicolas Achard, CEO of Robert Parker Wine
Advocate, "We are aware of the increased consumer
desire for responsible and environmentally committed viticulture, and for
easier access to this information. In the Robert Parker Wine Advocate team, we
share these concerns, which is why we decided to develop the Robert Parker Green Emblem
to highlight the vineyards that combine richness of taste and sustainable
viticulture. We wish to facilitate the meeting between these committed
winemakers, who prove to us how respect for the environment can magnify the
terroirs and the vines without compromising the taste and the quality of the
wines."
The Inaugural Robert Parker Green Emblem list
Robert
Parker Wine Advocate comprises a global team of ten experienced wine
reviewers who are committed to highlighting the world's best wines,
shedding light on magnificent terroirs and their diversity, as well as
exceptional craftsmen and timeless traditions. Led by Editor-in-Chief Lisa Perrotti-Brown
MW (Master of Wine), the team of expert wine critics delved deeply into their
respective assigned regions, and carefully weighed the case for including these
wineries into the inaugural list. The first Robert Parker Green Emblem in 2021
includes 24 wineries with impeccable reputations for sustainability. The list
is spread across eight countries and five continents. "Our new Organic and
Biodynamic filters and the Robert Parker Green Emblem recognitions are our way
of recognising the increasing importance to wine consumers of sustainable
practices in wine production. No other wine criticism website is thus
empowering wine lovers who want to drink more sustainably. With these new
enhancements to our website, our subscribers now have the ability to easily
find great wines produced with a like-minded philosophy of sustaining the
health and viability of our planet for future generations," says
Perrotti-Brown.
Australia (2):
Cullen Wines, Henschke
Austria (1):
Weingut Ernst Triebaumer
France (8):
Champagne Larmandier-Bernier, Gerard Bertrand,
Domaine Leroy & Domaine d'Auvenay, Domaine Bruno Lorenzon, Château
Pontet-Canet, Louis Roederer, Felix et Gabin Richoux, Domaine Valentin
Zusslin
Look for the new sustainability filters/symbols
when accessing thousands of wine reviews at www.RobertParker.com.
Official
hashtags: #RobertParker #WineAdvocate #RobertParkerGreen
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Robert Parker Wine Advocate is the world's
premier independent wine buyer's website with a database of more than 450,000
tasting notes, scores and reviews from professional critics around-the-world.
For over 40 years, Robert Parker Wine Advocate (a part of the MICHELIN Group of
companies) has been the global leader and independent consumer's guide to fine
wine with its 100-point rating system and in-depth coverage of major wine
regions.