People seem to be getting more health conscious in recent years. We’re not just talking about the way the food is prepared, but also the way the food is manufactured. Organic vegetables, fruits, free-range eggs, meat and dairy are finding their way into grocery carts much more often. This trend is also making its way into wine as people look for a ‘healthier’ beverage that isn’t overrun with preservatives, pesticides or other chemical agents. Let me introduce you to Natural Wine!
So what exactly is a natural wine?
In order to be considered a natural or organic wine, 95% of the grapes used for fermentation have to have come from organic sources. Only handpicked and organically grown grapes are used, there are no added sugars or foreign yeasts and no adjustments for acidity. These wines are not filtered or refined and many are made without the addition of sulfur dioxide. As a result, natural wines are made in small quantities by independent producers.
Why do I want to drink it?
Well, for starters, because it’s good for you! You probably already know that wine can help regulate blood pressure and boost the immune system. Then there is the heart-healthy reservatrol found in red grapes that assists in cardiac health and has been said to prevent age-related memory loss. Nothing is present in natural wine that doesn’t come naturally from the grape. And with no pesticides used in the vineyard and the lack of chemicals added during fermentation, the final product has much cleaner, fresher flavor.
Natural wine is also great for the environment. With the absence of harmful chemicals in the wine’s production, it doesn’t pollute the air, water, and soil in any major way, thus eliminating related negative effects on the environment. The wines are even packaged in organic and environmentally friendly containers too!
In Europe, natural wines are gaining popularity as they are often offered at a lower price point than mainstream wines. Mainstream wines are governed by the pricing of their AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégé), or its equivalent, as the quality of the wine is supposed to be reflective of the region in which it is produced. Natural wines can provide a better value for the money since they aren’t tied down by AOP rules and regulations for location, yield, etc. Unfortunately though, there are a lot of people who select their wines by AOP status and most natural wines are labeled ‘vin de table’ and are therefore overlooked.
This all sounds great but, how does it taste?
There are some who say natural wines taste better than conventional wines while others think the chemicals and other processes are necessary to ensure a quality (or possibly a familiar) final product. A major drawback to natural wine though is in its preservation and stabilization. With no chemical preservatives or sulfides used, it has an extremely short shelf life (just a few weeks for some) and is not very stable.
But honestly, there are so many variables in wine growing – in the vineyard, in the cellar, in the aging – it’s extremely difficult to say if one type is better than the other or not. As with any wine, the consumer is the ultimate tasting judge.
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