To dig a little deeper, growers and makers that get certified meet the standards set out by the specific certification program. Certifications focus on whatever the people that set them up think is most important, including being organic (aka not using synthetic fertilizers and using organic inputs), following biodynamic practices (aka following a holistic philosophy where grape growing is part of a larger ecosystem), regenerative agriculture (aka leaving soil and ecosystem better than you found it), and being sustainable (adjusting the growing and winemaking practices so that growers and makers can keep on doing their wine thing--and be a part of the climate solution). You can decide which is most important.

You may be wondering about how natural wine fits in with all of this! Natural wine is really more a philosophy than a certification, which means it’s harder to keep tabs on and actually verify. Generally speaking, natural wine is free of additives and makers try to do as little as possible and let the grape and land speak for themselves.

So pop open a bottle from your trio, and let’s dive in to a few examples this month. And if you’re still enjoying your previous months’ wines, that info can still be found on the site, too! June was organic farming (aka farming without chemicals), July was all about makers and growers who do more with less by reducing waste, and August was all about hand-harvesting and benefits for the planet.