The movement towards organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines have led us full circle to the world of Natural wines.
These wines are made with grapes we are familiar with like Riesling and Pinot Noir, but the wines are “unchained and wild” in their production process and don’t resemble their classic aromas or flavors in the end.
If you’ve ever had a Lambic beer or Kombucha you may be able to imagine the tart and funky potential of errant fermentation.
Natural wines are where we started over 10,000 years ago and a return to idealizing Natural wines is looked at as an evolution to some; and a nightmare to others.
What are Natural wines?
Natural wines are not formally defined but tend to be made with: hand picked grapes, a low intervention process, native yeasts, no fining or clarifying, and no additives.
The Natural Progression From Natural to Refined, And Back To Natural
For over 10,000 years winemakers struggled with the art of fermentation.
Invisible microbes converting sugars to alcohol (and by-products) were not understood or even acknowledged until 150 years ago when scientists like Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and Louis Pasteur made breakthroughs.
The fermentation process was very much a mystery for most of our history.
Winemakers made use of human innovations like the thermometer to measure the temperature to ferment at, and sterilization to prevent contamination with unwanted bacteria and yeast strains.
Winemakers were very happy over the years to learn how to bring forward certain aromas in wine, while canceling out non-appealing aromas from contamination causing “flaws”.
Byproducts and protein waste from the fermentation process create a cloudy murky drink. (Think of an Allagash Witbier or Hefeweizen)
Fining and clarifying innovations over the years have created more “brilliant” wines that catch the light.
Bones, ash, fish bladder, and now a vegan process with bentonite are used to fine wines.
Natural wine producers usually decide to leave everything in the glass outside of skins and stems.
Characteristics Of Natural Wines (Usually)
- Hand Picked Grapes
- Sustainable Farming
- Organic/ Biodynamic Farming
- Native Yeasts (Found On Grape Skin Or In The Vineyard)
- No Additives
- Little To No Sulphur
- Amphora Or Concrete Tank For Fermentation/ Ageing
- Cloudy/ Hazy
- High Acid
- Funky
- Barnyard Aromas (Possible)
- Burnt Matchstick Aroma (Possible)
- Usually Clear Or Lighter Glass Bottle To Show Off The Color And Haze
Pros And Cons Of Natural Wines
Natural Wine Pros:
- No Additives
- No Toxic Chemicals Involved In The Vineyard
- Wines Can Exhibit Very Vineyard Specific Expressions
- Usually Higher In Acid And Very Food Friendly
- Usually Made In Small Quantity And Made With More Care
- The Bottles Are Marketed Wonderfully With Creative Labels And Clear Glass To Highlight The Contents
- Wines Can Be Extremely Complex And Have Mindboggling Aromas
Natural Wine Cons:
- Bottle Variance (Especially Between Vintages)
- Unattractive “Stuff” Accumulates In The Glass And Bottle
- Low To No Sulfite Means It Doesn’t Hold Well Once Opened (Sometimes Not Even Unopened)
- Clear Bottles Allow UV Light To Spoil The Wine
- More Unknown, Unfiltered Materials Means More Of A Chance For An Allergic Reaction Or Headache
- Moderately Pricey And Start Around $20 (Average $25-$40)
- Some Aromas Can Be Very Off Putting
What Is Orange Wine?
Orange wine is created from white wine grapes that are fermented in contact with their skins for days to months, resulting in an orange color.
Orange wine is an ancient tradition in Northern Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Georgia. Fermenting and aging orange wine in amphora pots is still common.
The base price for a decent bottle of Orange wine will start at $20 and a superb, complex, amphora style bottle may easily run $45.
Riesling, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are commonly used for the style today.
Orange wine aromas can be floral, citrusy, and have a touch of stone fruit. The palate is soft vanilla and light grapefruit juice. On a hot day it goes down a little too fast.
Natural Wines That I Love!
(But Can’t Guarantee You’ll Like At All):
- Meinklang (Any) (Austria)
- Werlitsch “Fruede” Or “Gluck” Orange Wine (Austria)
- Antonio Camillo “Procanico” (Italy)
- Amplify Wines “Mix Tape Red” “Subliminal Line” “Duke And Ella” (USA/ California)
- Coquelicot Organic Estate (Any) (USA/ California)
- Birds Of Passage (Any) (USA/ California)
- Domaine Bonnet-Huteau Muscadet “Goulaine” (France)
- Abbia Nova “Cesanese Del Piglio” (Italy)
I must admit that the road to appreciating Natural wine over more commercial/ traditional wines can be a bumpy road but it’s worth it.
Try to find a wine store or café that really appreciates “Natty” wines and you can bypass a bunch of the bad stuff as you search for your new favorite complex quencher.
Enjoy exploring the wild world of Natty wines!
Cheers!
