CLEAN LABEL PROJECT™, Launches First-Ever Natural Wine Certification for US market
Two New Seals Provide Consumers with More Transparency
(DENVER, CO) MAY 17, 2021 Clean Label Project™, a national nonprofit whose mission is to bring truth and transparency to food and consumer product labeling, announces their launch into a new category: natural wine. In order to set specific standards that define natural winemaking, which has exploded in popularity in recent years but is not government regulated, Clean Label Project™ is launching two different seals for vintners to consider.
“It is our mission to provide information about products that might otherwise not show up on the label,” said Jackie Bowen, Executive Director of Clean Label Project™. “Due to growing consumer demand for transparency and proper labeling in not only food but wine, we felt it critical to bring this vital information to the forefront. Industry and regulatory change often come when people are given the facts,” said Bowen.
The purpose of the seals is to provide critical information to consumers about what it means to be a ‘natural’ wine. This includes such things as how the grapes were grown and cultivated, in addition to how the wine was produced, be it with or without the use of traditional winemaking or more industrial approaches. In an effort to set specific standards that define natural winemaking, two seals have been created: the top-tier “Certified Natural” and the second-tier “Certified Natural Path Production.”
Certified Natural harnesses what mother nature intended by capturing traditional natural wine best practices including but not limited to the exclusive use of organic grapes, indigenous yeasts, and minimal additives. Certified Natural Path Production utilizes elements of traditional natural wine production while allowing for some modern wine production techniques including but not limited to the exclusive use of certified organic or glyphosate and neonicotinoid-free grapes, allowance of minimal cultured bacteria, and minimal use of added sulfites for extending shelf-life. The criteria is public and can be found at www.cleanlabelproject.org.
Clean Label Project™ has chosen to work with Master Sommelier Brett Zimmerman, who is a sustainability advocate and retailer in the natural wine space. “Unlike the term organic, which is defined and regulated by government institutions, the word ‘natural’ is more open-ended and even more unique with what it conveys in the wine industry versus the food industry. Without a federal definition for natural wine, consumers are left to wonder and must rely on what the companies producing our food and beverages tell them is true. We need to shift our philosophies to preserve our health, the health of our environment, and the rich legacy that is the natural wine industry. This is why I am so proud to work with an organization like Clean Label Project™, that provides consumers access to the details behind label claims.”
Clean Label Project™ Natural Wine Certification requires compliance to established grape cultivation and wine production techniques. Unannounced onsite audits, sampling, and testing are required to ensure ongoing compliance to the standard. Clean Label Project’s Natural Wine Certification program is the first voluntary program offered in the US.
For more information about standards and how to seek compliance established by Clean Label Project™, please visit https://cleanlabelproject.org/
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CLEAN LABEL PROJECT™
Clean Label Project™ is a national nonprofit with the mission to bring truth and transparency to food and consumer product labeling. The foundation of food and consumer product safety in America is primarily focused on pathogen and microbiological contaminants. However, there is an increase in consumer, media, and academic attention being paid to the health consequences of exposure to heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers. Yet, consumers will not find this information on product labels. Clean Label Project™ is committed to changing the definition of food and consumer safety through the use of data, science, and transparency. We award brands with products that focus on purity and surpass the minimum regulations required by the FDA. At Clean Label Project™, we encourage brands to join us in becoming part of the solution to address the growing consumer concern of industrial & environmental contaminants and toxins in both food and consumer products. Visit cleanlabelproject.org for more information.
