In a pan-European survey carried out in March of this year 100% of non-organic wines proved to have significant pesticide residues – a considerably higher percentage than is normal for non-organic grapes. Why should this be?

• There is evidence that around one-third of the pesticides identified are commonly detected in grapes and are therefore systemically trasferred.

• In Europe, wines are made by combining the grapes from many different vineyards so that if the grapes from even one vineyard contain pesticides then the whole batch will be contaminated.

• Grapes receive the highest dose of pesticides of any crop, except potatoes – 4.7kg per hectare or 15% by weight of the synthetic pesticides applied to all major crops.

• Between 1993 and 2003 there was a 39% decline in the use of the relatively harmless, traditionally-used inorganic sulphate in grape production and a 27% rise in the use of synthetic pesticides.

• During the same period there has been a significant rise in the use of a range of synthetic fungicides never before applied to European grapes.

No wonder non-organic wine gives you a hangover!!

Courtesy of Pesticides News June 08
www.pan-uk.org 020 7065 0905

More research reports on alcohol and wine

First Published December 2008

Top of page