OUR CERTIFICATIONS
At Chakana we are committed to comprehensive care for the environment, the land we work on, and the consumer.
This commitment is endorsed by different national and international organizations that certify that we practice what we preach, but what does each of them mean?
DEMETER
Demeter is the name of the Greek goddess of agriculture. And since its founding in 1928, it has been used to designate farms, products and organizations that follow biodynamic methods.
Demeter is the organization in charge of certifying biodynamic practices in agriculture, based on the anthroposophical vision of Rudolf Steiner. Its objective is to respond to the growing demand for healthy products through a sustainable development model: through work that invigorates and revitalizes the land, maintaining quality at all stages, whose methodology includes a program for verification and certification of the procedures that producers carry out according to the standards established by the International Demeter Association. This also includes training, enrichment of projects, and promotion of biodynamic producer and consumer approaches.
In order to obtain your seal, first, you must be certified as an organic producer. This certification proposes a holistic look at the natural world and human activity, in which one must maintain an active observation of the functioning of nature and its interrelationships with production activities. This results in an agricultural exercise that favors biodiversity, self-sufficiency and product authenticity, minimizing the use of external aggregates.
Getting certified by Demeter is not an easy path. To begin with, organic certification takes 3 years of use of organic practices.
There are several organic certifications, the main ones being for the USA and Europe. At Chakana, we have both of these certifications, as well as Argentine and Brazilian certifications. Once validated, we were able to present the documentation to obtain the Demeter certification. Meaning? First, that all areas of work are organic and that the philosophy and vision of the company align with Demeter's mission. Another 3 years later, after constant use of biodynamic practices, comes the Demeter certification, which is unique in that it is granted by the organization itself and not by authorized third parties. These certifications are revalidated each year, fulfilling Chakana's commitment through our constant use of organic and biodynamic practices. The Biodynamic Federation – Demeter International is a network of globally distributed non-profit organizations that promote Biodynamic Agriculture and the exchanging of Demeter-certified products. Demeter standards differ in some aspects from Organic standards.
Organic, Ecological or Biological Production is regulated by Law 25,127, passed in 1999, and it is the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASA) which acts as the enforcement authority for producers who are certified organic.
Organic production is different because it obtains food that, due to its form of production and preparation, always gives priority to the protection of the environment by using non-polluting procedures and technologies, optimizing the use of energy and natural resources (soil, water and air), not applying chemical synthesis products (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, flavorings, preservatives and artificial colors, etc.) and not using genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Orgánico ARGENTINA
NON GMO
This abbreviation means, in English, "Non Genetically Modified Organism" which in Spanish would be "Sin organismos genéticamente modificados” (GMO).
Genetically modified organisms have DNA that has been altered through technological processes, in order to make them show characteristics different from the naturally-occuring forms of the organism. In the case of wine, this is usually done with yeasts, which are modified to impart certain aromas or flavors. This tends to typify the wine, standardizing it based on commercial characteristics but taking away its authenticity.
At Chakana we only work with spontaneous fermentations, in which the yeasts that carry out the fermentation are the ones that are naturally present in the grape and form part of its natural, biological environment.
The Vegan Society
The Vegan Society is the oldest vegan organization in the world, founded in the UK in 1944.
Having a certificate from this organization means that during the production process (particularly during the clarification of wines) no substances or preparations from animals are used, such as egg albumin; casein, a protein derived from milk; gelatin, which is obtained from animal cartilage; or the so-called ichthyocolla, which is obtained from the bladder of some fish.
Instead, the clarification is carried out over time from the natural decantation, and slightly higher turbidities are tolerated in the wine as a natural, protective condition of the product.
