Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/267019
2 2 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | M a r - A p r 2 014 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m "We think it's important for peo- ple to know what they're putting into their bodies and to have a con- nection with where it comes from," said Christina Donley, a regional sales manager for Ridge. "It was the final piece of information that we wanted to get to consumers … We want people to understand how the wine is processed, what the vineyard is like, what the vintage was like." Donley said Ridge generally sticks with very traditional wine- making techniques, occasionally adding a bit of sulfur or tartaric acid. When it made a 1.4% water addi- tion to a 2011 Paso Robles wine, it was noted on the label. "For the 2011 Three Valleys (zinfandel-based blend), we did use egg whites for fining, so that wine is not vegan," she said. "A lot of consumers appreciate knowing that." Foursight owner Kristy Charles said that reaction has been very positive to the Anderson Valley winery including ingredients on its labels. It sells the vast majority of its wine directly to consumers. "The most common reaction we get is, 'I thought wine was just grapes,' and of course they also know about sulfites in wine," Charles said, adding that ingredients labeling sparks a dialog with con- sumers. "We have a lot of vegans in Mendocino County, and most of them are very surprised to find out that animal products (such as eggs or fish bladder) can be used in the winemaking process. If you have an objection to the use of those the obvious motivation is to deli- cately suggest that they're making wines without much trickery or arti- fice: Wines that are more "honest" or "natural" than some other wines out there. Proponents of ingredient labeling agree on one point: Wine is food, whether or not the TTB agrees. Consumers are sometimes to surprised when they learn from Foursight's back labels that the wines contain more than just grapes. Call 800.800.4865 today or visit AgLoan.com A part of the Farm Credit System. Equal Opportunity Lender. BELONGS TO YOU I BELIEVE THIS $37 MILLION American AgCredit members earned $37 million in cash dividends for 2013, making a total of more than $215 million returned to customers since 2006. Isn't it time to start reaping the rewards of membership? MARKET WATCH TIM TEICHGRAEBER