What’s all the fuss about natural wines?

organic, natural and lo-fi wines photo

Guest Blog Post by Carlene Wilson

Everybody seems to be talking about natural wines and there are suddenly huge numbers available. There are speciality websites and stores and new sections appearing on wine lists. So what are they – what makes natural wines so damn natural?

I ask the question only partially tongue in cheek. While modern winemaking does involve a huge amount of intervention from winemakers and the addition of additives – sulphur dioxide being the most common – it is one of the most natural processes possible. The sugars in grape juice interact with yeasts already on the grape skins (or sometimes added by a winemaker) and produce ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide. Even without human intervention, a big pile of grapes would soon become a big pile of highly alcoholic and kind-of rotten grapes.

What then makes these tipples, advertising themselves as natural, so much more so than any other glass of wine? Let’s take the natural wine label of iconic NZ producers Millton. The grapes are handpicked then left in upright wooden vessels where the weight of the grapes themselves splits the skins and starts the fermentation process. No added yeast, no temperature control and just some stirring to help the fermentation along. Once its been pressed to barrels it sits again before bottling. No fining, no filtering and only the most minimal amount of sulphur so the wine is stable.

All this means that when you pour a glass it’s cloudy – and the flavours are deeper with an earthy spiciness like cardamon or fennel seed. I think its fabulous – and as you can see from the description of the winemaking, natural here means the lowest possible level of human intervention to make sure a delicious product results.

Natural Grape bunch as used in Organic and Natural winesAdding to their natural credentials, Millton are fully organic and biodynamic. This is certainly the trend among wineries doing “natural” wines. It’s about respect for the land that produces the grapes; for the grapes and the flavours they contain; and the idea of wine as a product which should truthfully speak of both those things.

As well as natural as a descriptor, you might see wines described as lo-fi.

The same basic principles hold:

  • as little intervention from the winemaker as possible
  • traditional or by-hand methods
  • minimal use of additives
  • minimal use of temperature control

One of the key interventions often left out is the filtering and fining of the wine. This process would usually remove sediment, dead yeast and many of the other by-products of the fermentation and aging process, in order to produce the clear, bright liquid most people expect in a glass of wine. The argument is that these sediments actually add to the wine drinking experience. They change the body of the wine, the way it feels in your mouth and to some extent the aroma and the taste.

If you haven’t tried a natural wine before – be prepared – sometimes the first sniff and the first taste will remind you more of cider than wine. The volatile acid is often high and the flavours heading more to earth and spice rather than the crisp, fresh fruit you expect if a NZ sav blanc is your usual tipple. And not all natural or low-fi or low intervention wines are going to be good – in fact many are pretty mediocre – but then many wines are just that!

The trendiness might also be putting you off. Don’t let it. We do not need to put a minus everywhere the millennial puts a plus! I think these wines have become trendy for a reason beyond their instagrammable labels and erstwhile green credentials. It’s because they are such genuine expressions of the land and the grapes that made them.

The French term terroir has become one that more people understand – the idea that the soil, the geography, the topography, the weather, the traditions – everything about where a grape grows has an impact tastable in the final product. Natural wines take that one step further and that makes them fascinating. It also often makes them incredibly delicious!

Millton Vineyar Chenic Blanc photoLooking for a few to try? I’m a fan of the Millton Libiamo range and I think Cambridge Road in Martinborough and Amoise in Hawkes Bay are making some amazing wines – but they are rarely cheap. Known Unknown are a great urban winery based in New Plymouth making very affordable and really good lo-fi wines.

Vandal out of Marlborough are making some cheeky wines – try a bottle of the hilariously named Pet Bat – yes it’s a Pet Nat – naturally effervescent wine. Or for something a little more like what you’re used to but with the small-batch, minimal intervention philosophy – try Neck of the Woods from Central Otago. As it says on the label: “not mass produced S**T”.

Related Posts

Wine Tasting – busting the myths

Wine Tasting – busting the myths

... and explaining the etiquetteGuest Blog Post by Carlene WilsonPeople often tell me they know nothing about wine. Or that all they can think about when they taste a wine is if they like it or not. Or that it tastes of grapes! Wine tasting can seem like an...

read more
Wine Tasting Tips – Whites

Wine Tasting Tips – Whites

White wine varieties offer a fascinating array of flavors, aromas, and textures that can entertain us for many years of discovery. Each type of white wine has its own unique characteristics, influenced by the grape variety, the region where it is grown, and the...

read more
Wine and Food – a great pairing

Wine and Food – a great pairing

The delightful pairing of wine and food is an art form that enhances our dining experiences and elevates the flavors of both. When it comes to wine, the choices are abundant, and the right selection can transform a simple meal into a culinary masterpiece. Let’s embark...

read more