WASHINGTON--California's organic wine producers are souring on some proposed new labeling requirements.

The organic vintners, a modest but growing force in the state's wine industry, are fighting with the help of industry lobbyists. Their biggest complaint involves the possibility that organic wine labels would have to bear a separate ingredients list.

"The organic wine producers certainly don't want to have a lot of clutter on their labels," Wine Institute spokeswoman Gladys Horiuchi said Thursday. Winemakers wince over the prospect of listing sulfites twice: once to meet current wine labeling standards and once to comply with the new organic standards.

In conventional wine production, sulfites are used to prevent oxidation and to preserve wine. Vintners can use sulfur dioxide in wines labeled as "made with organic ingredients." To achieve the highest level "organic" label, no sulfites are allowed.

"Although I have no personal reservations with disclosing ingredients, I definitely do not think it should be done exclusively for wines made from organic grapes," said El Dorado County winemaker Brian Fitzpatrick. He and other wine professionals responded to the labeling proposal from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The Wine Institute, which represents 624 California winery and associate members, persuaded federal officials to solicit public opinion for another three months. That gives professional lobbyists and individual winemakers more time to weigh in.
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About the Writer: The Bee's Michael Doyle can be reached at (202) 383-0006 or mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com.