Frequently Asked Questions

Many agree that organic wines are the more eco conscious choice for many reasons. Organic wine is made using only organically certified grapes, grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilisers. Not only is this better for the environment, but also for vineyard workers and our health too. Since the 2012 vintage, winemaking regulations mean the whole process is certified from harvest to bottle and the term ‘organic wine’ can be displayed on bottles.

Benefits can be numerous! Taste for a start: organic grapes are healthy and balanced and are of course the starting point for any great wine. Health benefits include ingesting less man-made toxins, especially pesticide residues and less sulphur dioxide too, which is the ‘wine preservative’. By drinking organic you are also helping support a cleaner environment and protect soils and waterways.

Biodynamics goes further than organics. Based on a holistic system of agriculture developed by Rudolf Steiner back in the 1920s, it’s grown in popularity over recent years, at many top estates, showing great results. The focus of biodynamics is improving soil and plant health, using specially activated composts along with herbal and mineral sprays. Applications and most other vineyard practices are carried out at certain times on particular days, predetermined by the movement and positioning of the moon and outer planets. Many say they display excellent sense of place and ‘terroir’ – why not try them and see what you think!

This more recent wine terminology relates to ‘low intervention’ wine. It includes organic growing and very low or even ‘no sulphur’ added during the winemaking process with the philosophy of ‘letting the wine make itself’. Natural winemakers are an enthusiastic and passionate group who have formed their own movement, though as yet the term ‘natural’ is not clearly defined. Indeed, by default, many of our wines are made in a ‘natural’ style.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is the most widely used and controversial additive in winemaking. It’s used as an antiseptic to kill off unwanted bacteria, yeasts and moulds, and as an antioxidant to inhibit oxygen spoiling the wine. An increasing number of people are sensitive or have allergic reactions to sulphur (headaches, wheeziness, a more groggy morning after feeling), and want to avoid it or ingest as little as possible. The good news is that organic wines have lower set permitted sulphur levels generally. On our website and wine lists we use ‘LS’ for ‘low sulphur’ and ‘NS’ for no sulphur added wines, giving you the choice.
We define low sulphur as wines that use only 50% of the lower initial ‘organic status’ level or less (75mg/litre or less for whites and rosés and 50mg/litre for reds). No sulphur wines have the lowest sulphur levels you will find anywhere with none at all added, though tiny amounts can be produced as a natural by-product of the fermentation process.

This might sound strange, but some animal-based products can be used in winemaking to ‘fine’ or clarify the wine. This is true for all wines, not just organic ones. Although becoming less common, products used include animal gelatin, isinglass (a fish-based product), egg whites or casein (milk based). We find out how all our wines are made each year, and we clarify which wines are vegan and vegetarian by using the ‘V’ and ‘VG’ symbols on our website and wine lists. Note that today most of our organic wines are indeed vegan – look out for the VG symbol to be sure or find all our vegan wines here.

There are plenty of reasons organic wine tends to cost a little more – lower yields in organic vineyards, smaller-scale production, more labour-intensive methods, and the added cost of certification, to name a few. That said, organic wines often offer outstanding value for the quality you get. You’re unlikely to find organic wine at ‘bargain-basement’ prices – and that’s a good thing. What you’re paying for is real, honest and fairly produced, and if that weren’t true, we wouldn’t still be here after more than 30 years, with so many loyal and happy customers. In fact, a 2016 study from the University of California analysed over 74,000 wine reviews and found that, on average, organic wines were rated higher – and cost less.

You can trust us to safely deliver deliciously satisfying, certified organic wines and drinks to your door, at fair prices. We run an ethical business, believe in our products and look after our customers. Organic is not a ‘fad’ or sideline for us, we’ve been 100% organic since we formed, back in 1986. We’ve also been fortunate to receive some good recognition and awards over the years, including a Best Organic Initiative Green Award and Green Retailer of the Year from the Drinks Business, as well as a Decanter award for the Best Independent Wine Merchant. In 2024 we also became B Corp Certified.

We spend a lot of time selecting our wines, as at the end of the day it’s the foundation of our business. We are confident that you will enjoy them, however if you really don’t, or if there’s a quality issue, contact us to discuss and we’ll find a solution for you via a refund, a replacement or voucher as appropriate. We will need goods returned to us and delivery charges are non refundable.

Vintage Roots was founded by Neil Palmer and Lance Pigott in 1986, and they still run and work closely in the business. Our wider team includes the wine buying team, customer support and office staff, along with the warehouse team, drivers and pickers (we pick and pack all orders ourselves), as well as a small sales team covering much of the UK.

We supply both on and off trade nationwide and always have done. Call us on 0118 932 6566 for a trade list or to open an account, or email trade@vintageroots.co.uk. Our visit our trade page here for more information.

We supply both on and off trade nationwide and always have done. Call us on 0118 932 6566 for a trade list or to open an account, or email trade@vintageroots.co.uk. Our visit our trade page here for more information.

There is no minimum order.

Yes, you can mix any wines, spirits and liqueurs to make a case(s) in any amounts. You can also mix beers and ciders or add just a few bottles to wine orders.

Yes, by the case, in set pre-mixed cases or you can also mix your own too.

You can call us free on 0800 980 4992 to arrange this. Ask for one of our wine advisors.

Yes, please get in touch with us to request one, or to send one to a friend.

To complete an order we will need your billing address and the delivery address. You do not have to have an account to do this.

You can pay once you have gone to the ‘checkout’. We accept most major bank cards, and PayPal. Cheques via the post or card details over the phone are also acceptable.

Congratulations, just put your order together as normal and you can redeem the voucher at the checkout.

Yes, we have advisors waiting to help you, just call free on 0800 980 4992 (Mon-Fri) or email info@vintageroots.co.uk

Standard delivery is charged at £8.95. Orders of £125 or more will be free of charge. A 5% discount will be applied to all orders of 60 bottles or more (wines, spirits, or liqueurs, excluding already discounted goods). Regrettably, a surcharge will apply to deliveries to some postcodes on the Scottish mainland, Islands, Isle of Man and N.Ireland. For deliveries to the Channel Islands and Scilly Isles, please contact the office on 0800 980 4992.

Delivery is guaranteed within 3-5 working days. Usual delivery time is within 2 days of order.

Yes if this is easier for you, just complete the necessary details at checkout.

We currently do not offer a tracking service. Please call 0800 980 4992 to ask about your order

Orders can be collected from our offices in Heckfield, and are eligible for a £5 discount for 12 bottles or more. We kindly ask that customers contact the office on 0800 980 4992 to arrange a mutually convenient time Monday-Friday. Our full address is Vintage Roots, Holdshott Farm, Heckfield, Hook, Hants, RG27 0JZ.

We rarely ship wine abroad, but if interested please contact us on 0800 980 4992 for a quote.

You can leave delivery instructions when placing an order by phone or on our website. If there are no instructions, the courier will leave a card for you to rearrange delivery.

After delivery examination, contact us immediately (within 3 days max) on 0800 980 4992 or via info@vintageroots.co.uk to report a problem, and we’ll help sort things out right away.

Please click the ‘forgot your password’ link on the login page and we’ll send you a link to reset your password.

Login to you account and click the 'My Account' tab at the top of the page. You will find all your past orders in there.

Click the ‘Notify me’ button on the product and we’ll email you as soon as it’s back in.

You can call us on our free phone number 0800 980 4992 or send an email to info@vintageroots.co.uk

We can deliver wine, spirits, liqueurs, beers and ciders. You can also send pre-mixed cases, gift boxes and egift cards too.

We can deliver to any number of destinations, but you will need to checkout each order individually, entering each respective delivery address at the checkout.

Yes, we can include gift cards with your message at no extra cost. Please select ‘Yes, this is a gift order’ at checkout and write your message.

Yes, we have gift boxes in one bottle, two bottle, three bottle and single magnum bottle sizes. Please add the box you want to your basket before checkout.