European Producers Focus on Safe Wine Production

You probably don’t think too much about your safety when you’re drinking a glass of Italian wine.

Granted, you may want to ensure you don’t drink too much. Being tipsy is fun, but it can also lower your inhibitions and lead to unsafe choices. But when it comes to the drink itself, you probably don’t worry about whether it’s safe or not. After all, you purchased the wine from a store that sells plenty of products. Surely, stores wouldn’t see something that isn’t safe?

Sadly, that’s not always the case.

Many countries produce wines under loose regulations that allow for ingredients and methods that may not meet your high standards for consumption. You also need to consider the possibility that your wine is made by a counterfeiter, which means anything could be inside the bottle.

Sounds scary, right?

The good news is that most European countries have strict production standards in place to ensure your wines are as safe as possible. That’s especially the case for Italian wine, which is held to some of the highest standards in the world. In this article, we examine what Italian producers, and the European industry as a whole, do to ensure the wines you drink are 100% safe.

Technique No. 1 – Certification Bodies

We’ve written several articles about the DOC and DOCG classifications you often find on bottles of Italian wine before. These classifications serve as quality guidelines that tell you a wine has been made to specific standards laid out by the DOC or DOCG.

That’s encouraging enough on its own.

The fact that defined standards are in place ensures that the wines you drink are made using consistent methods.

But there’s another reason to always look for DOC, DOCG, and IGT labels on your Italian wines:

Testing.

Certification bodies don’t simply accept that a wine is safe because the producer tells them they used the correct methods. Instead, they test the wines to ensure they’re safe to carry certification. This testing ensures nothing is in the wine that shouldn’t be there, creating a safe experience for the consumer.

Italy is far from the only European country to have strict testing and classification methods. France and Spain have certifications of their own that tell you when you’re drinking the real deal.

Technique No. 2 – Food Standards Agencies

In addition to the wine industry’s own classification methods, many countries have strict standards for what the foods sold in that country can contain. For example, the UK has the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which oversees every product made in the UK as well as every consumable item that enters the country. Every major nation has a similar organization that keeps tabs on foodstuffs. Each has its own guidelines and standards. But there’s one thing they all have in common that ensures your Italian wines are safe.

They all have strict standards.

If an Italian or European wine producer does not meet the standards set by these many agencies, they can’t sell their products in the country that has the standards. This is an incentive to wine producers to ensure they use safe production methods. If they don’t, they can’t profit from the wines they create.

Technique No. 3 – Extensive Training and Experience

Many European producers will go into great detail about their history and passion for wine. They’ll tell you about their family connections to the vine, the people they work with to tend their crops, and the time they’ve spent working in the wine industry.

This isn’t wine companies flexing on each other.

It’s a way for these companies to tell you that they know what they’re doing. When a producer speaks of its extensive history, it’s telling you that its people have extensive experience that is used to make the safest wines possible. That experience also comes in handy when the producer trains new employees, as it ensures they provide solid information the new hire can use to do their job safely.

Experience isn’t a bonus.

It’s a necessity in the European wine industry.

Technique No. 4 – Natural Production Techniques

Many producers use man-made products when creating their wines. Even so, all will do everything they can to make their wines as natural as possible. Outside of the use of certain preservatives, such as sulphite (which is proven to be safe), producers tend to do whatever they can to protect their land.

After all, the terroir is a vital component in wine production.

If the producer doesn’t take care of their land, they won’t be able to use it in the future. To ensure the land keeps ticking along, most Italian wine producers will stick to natural methods wherever possible.

Technique No. 5 – Limitations

You likely already know that the DOC places limitations on how much of various types of grapes can be used to create certain types of Italian wines. This ensures consistency across the board, leading to a safer and more regulated product.

But what you may not know is that many of the organizations that oversee wine production limit the amount of certain other products.

For example, we mentioned sulphites being used as preservatives earlier. The use of these preservatives is limited to ensure they’re not overused. In the UK, a red wine may not have more than 150mg of sulphur dioxide per litre. This increases to 200mg for white and Rosé wines, with the number being 185mg for sparkling wines.

These limits extend to other aspects of wine, such as its alcohol volume and sugar content. Again, this is all about keeping wine consistent and safe. These limitations have been well-researched, meaning you can trust any wine that actively works within them.

Stay Safe

Your safety will always be important when choosing any products to consume. By being aware of the measures taken to keep food safe, you can also ensure that you avoid any foods that don’t follow these measures.

The European wine industry is dedicated to safety in all aspects.

That’s why you can trust the Italian wines sold at Xtrawine to be completely safe for consumption. Check out our collection today and we’re sure you’ll find something to satisfy your needs.