Your Next Dose of “An Ethos of Sanity in What is an Insane World”| Slow Wine USA Debuts 2026 Guide

 The 2026 Record Setting Guide is now available! Out of 409 fine wine wineries, 256 have certified organic vines or are in transition to organic, biodynamic or regenerative organic certification.

SEE PHOTO ON ORGANICWINEUNCORKED ON SUBSTACK

Slow Wine Guide party for 2026 guide field contributors (writers), editors and wineries held at Robert Hall Winery in Paso Robles in 2025.

As the 2026 Slow Wine Guide USA launches this week, the creation of a dedicated team of wine writers, wine judges and other wine professionals, the book has reached its biggest numbers ever with a record 409 wineries, up from 380 in 2025.

As its managing editor (working closely with my work bestie, national editor Deborah Parker Wong), I can say it’s a pleasure to have seen our illustrious team grow to 21 field contributors who help us fulfill our mission of in person, on site visits for each winery.

We’ve been buoyed by past praise…SF Chronicle’s beloved wine writer Esther Mobley said we were the best place to find out if a wine was farmed with Roundup, while US born, Catalunya based wine expert Miguel Hudin said we had created “An Ethos of Sanity in What is an Insane World.” That latter phrase rings truer than ever in this current moment when so many lies abound and misinformation floods the zone.

The Most Transparent Wine Guide on the Planet

Slow Wine USA has been a force for transparency indeed, and that, above all, makes me so proud to have contributed to the only wine guide–yes, in the U.S.–that follows the format of showing the fertilizer, the weed control, the plant protection and other wine farming facts that no other wine guide publishes. It is a brilliant format and I salute our Italian sponsors at Slow Wine Italy for coming up with it. In addition, it lists pertinent winemaking facts as well–what types of yeast (native, etc.) as well the type of aging vessel, case production and more for more than 1,200 wines (three per winery).

We also salute all the producers in the guide–who respond to our inquiries and share more of their farming and winemaking facts with us than other reviewers.

It is simply the best and most comprehensive guide to eco friendly wines, valuing both farming and wine quality in equal measure.

Many wineries who forgo herbicides still use fungicides, but that disqualifies them for Snail consideration.

Our USA guide was the first to say “we do not review wines farmed with Roundup or other synthetic herbicides.”

A winery can make other wines farmed with Roundup. They are just not the ones we review.

Aside from concerns about human health, Roundup is most definitely a soil killer, and one would be hard pressed to say a wine is a “wine of terroir” if the soil is treated with synthetic herbicide. 
(Although hundreds of wineries do say that, including fine wine wineries.)

This year, the Italian Slow Wine Guide followed suit on the herbicide prohibition, that we in the USA started first.

May it continue.

Many Things Are Left Unsaid

It can be awkward for some wineries to follow the Slow Wine guidelines, for there are wonderful and famous wineries in long term contracts with Roundup dousing old vine vineyards (even the head trained ones) who prefer not to be in the guide lest someone discover the brand reputation is not wholly defined by their certified organic estate (obscuring from view that they purchase grapes that are not as pure as the driven snow).

There are many instances of mistaken identity in other Green Wine designations (I think of the Robert Parker green award). Unless a winery is all estate, which is unique in the U.S., green is a wine by wine determination, not necessarily a winery category.

Call it the hybrid producer problem–wineries that have very green estates but buy from additional wine grapes from growers who do not. Some famous names would appear here if not for my discretion in shielding them from view.

The same hybrid producer problem goes for unnamed natural winemakers who just need to buy more grapes and don’t really want anyone to know they’re buying grapes sprayed with synthetic fungicide for instance. It’s not illegal, but many of those fungicides are bird and bee neurotoxins.

Or a winery can have sheep grazing in the fields and still use herbicide–i.e. have their rented sheep munching among recently sprayed, herbicided grasses. A agro-non-ecological nightmare.

When the founders of Sonoma Valley’s SORBET group observed this happening, much to their consternation, it spurred the organic folks to form a collective to combat that type of greenwashing deception.

Herbicide Free Wine

I think after all we have been through to create and adhere to this criteria at Slow Wine, a little bragging about the criteria of herbicide free wines is ok.

Asking marketing directors at hundreds of wineries if the wines they represent are farmed with Roundup, fungicides, conventional fertilizer, etc. has been an education for those we’ve crossed paths with in the course of writing this guide, year in and year out.

People are now more familiar with these attributes.

It goes far beyond “does it have sulfites” and natural winemakers saying “We did nothing” over and over.

Proud to Honor Our Snails | Wineries That Use No Synthetic Chemicals in the Vines

Napa - 25


Oregon - 21

Sonoma - 17


Williamette Valley - 15


Paso Robles - 9


Santa Barbara County - 8

Slow Wine USA also lists certifications where they are used, and also includes the uncertified, recognizing that good farming requires a clean Pesticide Use Report, not a certification certificate. Our Italian Slow Wine leaders created this criteria and it enables us to be much more inclusive than if we were an organic only guide.

An Educational Journey

We spotcheck the uncertified California wineries, using our state’s fantastic pesticide use reports, in the hopes that we can encourage and validate transparency. Of course, we are not omniscient so we do have rely on what wineries tell us, but cross referencing official spray reports gives us some degree of confidence. Would that every state had mandatory pesticide use reporting like California does.

We also require wineries to report the percentage of grapes they purchase–a very revealing and useful indicator, as most people have no idea wineries buy grapes or in what quantity. Often it is a surprise to consumers and even to wine professionals. Clearly more education is needed in the industry among wine educators, retailers and wine professionals.

The Love In These Wines

In the end, what matters most is being able to say to our readers, this guide encompasses 409 great wineries and more than 1,200 wines you might want to try. They range in price from $16 per bottle (Folk Machine’s White Light, also available in 3L boxes for $42) to the luxury tier stratosphere (Adamvs at $425, for instance).

Every one of the Snails, in order to be a Snail, cannot use synthetics, whether they are fungicides or herbicides, insecticides or conventional fertilizer.

This year we have a record number of Snails.

Price is, uniquely, one of the criteria, for a Snail should not be overly costly.

Bravo for the fine quality of our wineries who meet these high standards. And for all the shoe leather guide writers put in and the many hours the production staff in Italy devote to this endeavor.

2025-6 A Banner Year, A Turning Point

Aside from all this, the past year was a banner year, with the launch of the first full fledged Terra Madre USA in Sacramento. which included more than 100 of our wineries engaged in panels and tastings.

PHOTO: see on substack. Regenerative organic pioneer Caine Thompson, then general manager of O’Neill’s Robert Hall Winery in Paso Robles, giving a talk on agroforestry at the inaugural Terra Madre of the Americas held in Sacramento

Buying the Guide

Interested in buying a copy of the guide? It’s a fitting tribute during Earth Month and a show of support to our stellar team (and the wineries) who provide so much value in this amazingly thorough and comprehensive guide.

Get your 2026 guide on Amazon or from Bookshop here and get to know “all the best people”, and their wines” and wineries.

Makes a great gift, too, so buy a few copies for friends.

Thank you for supporting Slow Wine USA.

Earth Day | Organically Grown Wine Conference in Oregon Launches Its First Two Day Conference

Press release

Attendees can expect farmer-led learning and collaboration geared toward growers, producers, media, buyers, and other stakeholders who care about quality, sustainability, and authenticity. (Courtesy image)

WILLAMETTE VALLEY, Ore. — Join us for two immersive days of connection, education, and tasting at the 2026 Organically Grown Wine Conference—a gathering at the intersection of organic viticulture, winemaking, market innovation, and the people who are shaping the future of wine.

Building off the successful inaugural 2025 conference, attendees can expect farmer-led learning and collaboration geared toward growers, producers, media, buyers, and other stakeholders who care about quality, sustainability, and authenticity.

DATE: April 20-21, 2026

LOCATION: Willamette Valley, Oregon

For more info, click here.

Day 1 of the Organically Grown Wine Conference is geared towards trade, buyers, media and industry members, but open to anyone who is curious about organic wine farming.

The full day conference includes:

Panel Discussion, Lunch + Technical Tasting at Linfield (McMinnville)

Field Tour at Soter Vineyards (Carlton)

Shuttle transportation will be offered from Portland.

Day 2 of the Organically Grown Wine Conference is geared towards growers, viticulturists, winemakers, and those transitioning to organic practices - trade and media are welcome.

The full day conference includes:

Panel Discussion, Lunch + Technical Tasting at Chemeketa Eola (Salem)

Field Tour at Chemeketa Eola (Salem)

Happy Hour After Party (McMinnville) - details will be sent to attendees.

Business of Organic: Avaline Surpasses Josh and Bonterra in Sales at Sprouts

How did the all organic brand Avaline catapult into 2025-6's list of wineries achieving double digit growth wineries? Is organic resonating with consumers? If well made and marketed...yes.

Please see this post with the photos we published with it. Go here.

Founded by actress Cameron Diaz, a Hollywood star, and Katherine Power, an entrepreneur with several hit brands in beauty and fashion, in 2019, Avaline imports organically grown wines and brands them with Avaline branding, while also crediting the wine’s producer source (on its website under each wine description).

The fast growing brand is widely available at Target, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Total Wine and many other retail outlets.

At Sprouts, Avaline recently surpassed Sprouts’ sales of Josh, a conventionally grown wine that is a top seller nationally. It also surpassed Bonterra in sales at Sprouts, Avaline’s CEO Jen Purcell said.

In May of 2025, Business of Drinks podcast host Erica Deucy interviewed Avaline CEO Purcell about the company’s success, pointing out in her introduction that “Avaline is more than a celebrity-backed brand. It’s a category-shaping brand. In 2024 alone, Avaline sold 213,000 cases.” That earned it a Hot Brand from Shanken News Daily.

But the following year was even better. Avaline hit 300,000 cases in sales.

Said Deucy, “We’re talking nearly 50% growth in a category that saw contraction.”

“What’s driving this growth?” Deucy continued. “It is a radically different approach to wine. It’s about simple and transparent labeling, the use of organic grapes, and messaging that is wellness-forward and frictionless.

“The label itself doesn’t focus on terroir. It tells you the ingredients and what the wine tastes like. And it’s the brand’s willingness to really distance itself from traditional and staid wine language and harness the signifiers found in beauty, wellness and modern food brands.”

Its target demographic? “Tech savvy, health conscious women between 35 and 54,” Purcell said. It takes its cues in branding from fashion and wellness trends, leaning into female buyers.

Listen to the full interview in the podcast. 63: How Avaline Became a $33M Wine Powerhouse with CEO Jen Purcell - Business of Drinks

Avaline’s Brand History

Avaline initially launched in Sprouts in 2020 and in 2021 began its DTC, ecommerce channel. The vast majority of sales are still in retail outlets.

Avaline’s investors include Greycroft (which funded Powell’s other ventures), Marcy Venture Partners (co-founded by Jay-Z), H Venture Partners, Plus Capital, and Sonoma Brands. Angel investors include Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Richie. By 2021, it had raised $14.6 million from investors. Today it has reached more than $33 million in sales.

Avaline’s two bestselling wines; rosé and an unconventional white blend from Spain

What makes Avaline different from the biggest domestic organic brand, Bonterra?

Avaline’s branding is more upscale and fashion forward, but it also lists ingredients (transparency), messages “no added sugar” (often 0 grams total), displays nutrition facts and emphasizes “no unnecessary additives.”

And all of the winemakers are in the EU –where the organic wine market and organic acreage for organically grown wines is 4-5 times bigger than in the U.S. with a wide selection of producers to create private label wines.

Unconventional Marketing for the Wine Industry

A lot of Avaline’s strategy is born out by current market research–listing ingredients, messaging low calorie and no sugar, ingredients transparency–but no one had ever put all of those things into play in the marketplace with the added attributes of fashion and film celebrities who can appear on TV talk shows.

On the other hand, market researchers have consistently been saying that these consumers were asking for these attributes, but wineries did not appear to be listening.

“Better for you” brands were a halfway step-but not organic. Domestic wineries did not cultivate this demographic with well made and well marketed wines. And major retailers like Whole Foods never fully embraced organically grown wines, apparently since few domestic brands had the capacity to scale nationally.

In Berkeley and Oakland, where I live, one can hardly find an organically grown rosé (from any country) at a local Whole Foods.

Finding enough organic grapes and really good organically grown wine in the U.S. may have been a hurdle for domestic producers as growers are often resistant to growing organically, fearing it is financially risky. Though warmer wine growing climates are often similar in California and the three main EU wine grape growing countries, European producers have a different culture and mindset, with 20% of wine grape acreage certified organic in France, Italy and Spain.

Organic in Lodi?

At the same time, a few U.S. growers see organic as a path to prosperity. Giant Vino Farms in Lodi has found it can charge 2-3 times more for certified organic grapes, while its farming costs rise only around 10 percent for organic. It’s also fueling a new, all organic Avivo brand as well as selling grapes to many artisanal, boutique wineries whose consumers value organic certification.

CEO Purcell: “Avaline was really founded out of their need (for the founders) to understand what they were putting in their bodies and something that they were consuming, a fair amount of, which was wine.”

Avaline’s founders, Purcell said, “realized they didn’t understand anything about what was being put in that bottle. I think that when we first launched, a lot of traditional wine buyers were a little bit confused. They’re like' ‘why aren’t you putting the vintage on the bottle?’

Or why aren’t you talking about where this wine is from, or their terroir, or anything like that?”

“But we were like, well, the research that we’ve done has shown that research that we've done has showed that the consumer doesn't care [about those things]…the consumer does care about what they’re putting in their body, what this wine is made out of. And they have no idea what that is for any other wine. And so I think that really has differentiated us in the market-leaning into those messages.”

Showing Some Rizz

The brand’s growth earned Avaline a spot in Fast Company’s Brands That Matter 2025. That year Avaline “launched a wine with Stella McCartney, celebrating the limited-edition rosé with a cocktail party that had Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Andy Cohen in attendance,” the magazine wrote.

The Stella McCartney rose

“Those activations have helped the brand grow online, especially on Instagram, where Avaline is the most followed U.S.-based wine brand globally with 240,000 followers (a number that grew 8% year over year in 2024),” the magazine continued.

“Think Different” | A Unique Start

Avaline’s earliest wine hits were not the usual varietals marketers lean into–Cabernet and Chardonnay. The original four wines were a sparkling, a red blend, a white blend and a rosé.

Today, they’ve expanded into those common varieties and more, launching red sets, white sets, welcome sets and more. They offer a six bottle wedding set. The brunch set is positioned as “a curated way to bring ease, beauty, and organic wine to any spring table.”

Beauty. Another differentiator.

The Goal? Be a Top 10 Brand

The brand’s emphasis on integrity, organics and authenticity puts it in stark contrast with other celebrity brands.

• Sarah Jessica Parker’s Invivo X, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, now sold with Jalapeño with Natural Flavor

• Snoop Dog’s 19 Crimes (Treasury Wine Estates)

• Dolly Wines, Dolly Parton’s new brand

One other celebrity driven, supermarket priced wine with organic grapes is Whoopi Goldberg’s DOCG Prosecco launched in 2025. It sells online for $23 a bottle online. So far it is the brand’s only wine.

Seeking Even More Growth

In 2025, Avaline switched from RNDC to a national partnership with Southern Glazer’s, aiming to continue its strong retailer growth.

In her podcast interview Purcell said the brand wants to become one of the top 10 wine brands in the country. “That is our ultimate goal.”

As a brand that leans into lifestyle marketing and good wine, with solid financial backing, it appears to be headed in the right direction–at a time of down markets for wine. Will the industry pay attention to these consumer trends?

Seismic Shifts, Part 2 | Four Trends Defining the Future of Wine Growth | Wine Data Guru Danny Brager's Take on Trends, Where Wine's Falling Behind And How It Can Get Its Groove Back Again

It is simple math...and yet, so many miss these points.

Danny Brager is the wine indsutry’s favorite data geek and for good reason. In this second part in a series, we share highlights from his Wine Market Council research conference talk on trends that could fuel growth in the wine industry.

Brager talked overall about overall trends…

• Whites are doing better than red

• Single serving containers a huge success (but not yet in wine)

• On premise price jumps hurting wine in consumers’ decision between cocktails and wine

• Fast casual eateries (serving more ethnically diverse food) outpacing fine dining which is in decline

1. It’s White Wines for the Win (But Only Some Whites Make the Cut)

Used with permission. Thanks to Danny Brager.

Just like the Bar Lucia wine menu (mentioned in Part 1), whites are in, and reds are…declining, according to this SipSource data.

In addition, Brager said he gets calls from journalists about the impact of tariffs, so he looked at the data and found that “imports are doing better than domestics.”

Partly that’s because more than half of the imports are whites, he said.

“When you look at the percentage of imports versus percentage of wines in Washington, California, Oregon, and the color of the percentage of imports, 55% are whites. It’s harder to chase growth when you’re largely invested in varietals that just aren’t doing as well overall, from a consumer perspective,” he said.

Read the full story over at our substack where all the informative charts are displayed. 

https://organicwineuncorked.substack.com/p/seismic-shifts-part-2-four-trends

Champagne's Herbicide Nightmare

I am posting a link here to Caroline Henry's truly shocking videos of herbicide use in Champagne. See the video here.

Her video of the spring season spraying shows the undeniable truth - yellow row after yellow row, where Roundup has been used.

She notes that "grapes coming from these blank sprayed vineyards will make their way into most houses' non-vintage cuvees, especially since these same houses have been heavily investing in regenerative practices in their own vineyards. Why bother at all if everything will be blended together in the end?"

Earth Month Kicks Off | Robert Hall Winery Launches Two Wines from Regenerative Organic Grapes | Whole Foods Exclusive

Bold, clear regenerative organic labeling makes them a standout. The two wines-a red and a white-will be available nationwide and sold only at Whole Foods. Scroll down for the tech sheets and labels.

It’s been in the works for sometime, but today’s the day! The project former Robert Hall general manager and regenerative organic evangelist Caine Thompson started with Jeff O’Neill years ago is finally on the launch pad and lifting off in Whole Foods nationwide.

The winery is releasing a red–a Cabernet–and a white–a Sauvignon Blanc–today.

Labeling

One thing I really love about this launch is the prominent branding for regenerative organic labeling. As the press release says, “With Robert Hall ROC® wines, we moved the Regenerative Organic Certified® and B-Corp Certified seals to the front of the wine label, creating a clear, consumer-facing expression of purpose.”

Here’s what the bottle looks like: GO TO OUR SUBSTACK TO SEE THE STORY WITH VISUALS. 

Closeup of the neck:

Hopefully this will achieve its purpose: helping consumers to find eco-friendly wine at the supermarket.

Press Release

OBERT HALL WINERY LAUNCHES REGENERATIVE ORGANIC CERTIFIED® WINES

IN EARTH MONTH EXCLUSIVELY AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET

Paso Robles, Calif., April 2, 2026 -- Robert Hall Winery, a pioneer in the Paso Robles AVA and a Regenerative Organic Certified®estate, today announces the launch of two Regenerative Organic Certified® wines exclusively at Whole Foods Market, 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, SRP $29.99.

Robert Hall Winery, an O’Neill Vintners & Distillers B Corp Certified winery, has produced the first Regenerative Organic Certified®commercially available wines in distribution at retail in honor of Earth Month, a groundbreaking achievement for the future of wine.

Regenerative farming is a future-forward approach that addresses global challenges created by conventional agriculture by restoring soil health and sequestering carbon. Paso Robles has emerged as a leader for regenerative organic viticulture, and Robert Hall Winery is among a small group to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification®(ROC®). This rigorous standard, built on the foundation of organic certification, sets the bar across three core pillars: soil health, animal grazing integration, and worker fairness. The alignment between Robert Hall Winery and Whole Foods Market is rooted in a shared belief that the future of agriculture must be regenerative and transparent. Together, they are redefining how climate-smart, values-driven products reach consumers, meeting at the intersection of quality, integrity, and environmental stewardship.

Jeff O’Neill, Founder & CEO of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, has been an environmental champion for more than two decades executing on an unwavering belief of “farming for the future,” cementing O’Neill as the leader in at-scale sustainable viticulture. What began as a long-term commitment to better farming for O’Neill has become a defining mission that culminates in bringing Regenerative Organic Certified® wines directly to the everyday consumer.

“For over 20 years, we have believed that farming isn’t just about what we produce today, it’s about what we leave behind for the next generation,” said O’Neill. “Regenerative agriculture is the most important evolution of that belief. We are proud to bring that to the everyday consumer, making it more accessible in the marketplace and at an approachable price point, so anyone can choose to walk with us on this journey.”

As consumers increasingly make purchasing decisions shaped by values as much as quality, Chief Marketing Officer and EVP Luxury at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, Maeve Pesquera, recognizes the opportunity is no longer just to produce differently, but to communicate differently, making purpose visible at the exact moment choice is made. “Consumers are not just asking what is in the bottle; they are asking what it stands for,” said Pesquera. “Our role is to make that answer immediate and intuitive at the shelf, where trust is built in seconds. With Robert Hall ROC® wines, we moved the Regenerative Organic Certified® and B-Corp Certified seals to the front of the wine label, creating a clear, consumer-facing expression of purpose.”

This commitment extends beyond packaging into education and engagement, with Robert Hall ROC® wines featured in the Whole Foods Market employee “WINE 201” curriculum hosted by Wine Folly, equipping Whole Foods retail teams with a deeper understanding of regenerative agriculture and empowering them to speak clearly and confidently to consumers about its impact on wine quality, land stewardship, and long-term sustainability.

The Robert Hall ROC® 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, made by Winemaker Amanda Gorter, are available at Whole Foods Markets nationally, SRP $29.99.

About O’Neill Vintners & Distillers

O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, a Certified B Corporation, is a family-owned, vertically integrated wine and spirits company dedicated to crafting exceptional wines and spirits while setting a new standard for sustainability in the industry. Founded in 2004 by visionary Jeff O’Neill, the company has emerged as a true leader in environmental stewardship-proving that scale and sustainability can go hand in hand. O’Neill has earned some of the highest honors in the field, including B Corp Certification, Regenerative Organic Certified® status, and the prestigious Green Medal Leader Award from the California Wine Institute. These accolades reflect not only a deep commitment to regenerative farming and climate-smart practices, but also a bold vision for the future of wine and spirits. With winery estates in Sonoma and Paso Robles and a winery facility in Parlier, O’Neill’s diverse portfolio includes Ram’s Gate Winery, Robert Hall Winery, Line 39, Wines of Substance, FitVine Wine, Harken Chardonnay, Rabble Wine Company, Charles Woodson’s Intercept, No. 209 Gin, and BrandyLab. To learn more, visit www.ONeillWine.com.

Tech Sheets on the Wines Head Over to Our Substack to read them

Note each is blended with 14-15% of a second varietal.

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Discussion about this post

Grgich Hills Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Paris Tasting with Rare Chardonnay Masterclass May 2

50 years ago, at the historic Judgment of Paris, the world of wine was changed forever. At the forefront of that revolution stood Miljenko ‘Mike’ Grgich, the winemaker behind the famous 1973 Chardonnay that beat the very best wines of France for the first time in history. You’re invited to join Grgich Hills Estate President Violet Grgich and veteran winemaker Ivo Jeramaz as you're guided on a tasting journey through the decades, to learn more about the varietal that gave rise to Grgich Hills Estate.

A curated selection of Chardonnays past and present will be showcased, including rare library vintages unattainable elsewhere. Attendees also have the distinct privilege of being among the first to taste a brand-new release: our 2023 Paris ’76 Chardonnay, a 97-point masterwork described by Lisa Perrotti-Brown as “Elegant and beautifully poised, yet with intense zesty and savory layers… Absolutely stunning!”

$95 per person, $76 for members. 

https://www.exploretock.com/grgich/event/602583/chardonnay-masterclass-with-violet-grgich-and-ivo-jeramaz