Natural Selections
You’ve likely seen the rise of wine shops, wine clubs and bars dedicated strictly to natural wines. You’re curious to try them but what exactly is a “Natural Wine”? After all, aren’t all wines natural? With terms like glou glou, natty, raw and lo-fi, natural wines can be somewhat intimidating and it’s difficult to know where to begin. Here is my breakdown of what constitutes a natural wine and key words to know to help you navigate this brave new world of wines. I’ve also listed five wines to try if you’re a Natural Wine Newbie.
My personal definition of Natural Wine:
Naked wine. While there is no universally accepted definition of natural wine, it is generally agreed to be wine that is farmed organically (biodynamically or using organic farming methods or the like) and made without adding or removing anything in the cellar. No additives or processing aids are used, and ‘intervention’ in the naturally occurring fermentation process is kept to a minimum. As such neither fining nor filtration are used. Minimal or zero use of sulphur in the vineyard or wine cellar. The result is a living wine – wholesome and full of naturally occurring microbiology. Just nature and grapes vibing. Natural wine is not necessarily made with a taste profile in mind, but rather with winemaking practices front and center. So you are more likely to get a bottle with some sediment inside, or some wines that have that natural “funk” to the them. Don’t be surprised if the wine is hazy or cloudy or if the flavor is “sour” and “tangy”. This is part of the fun and experience of Natural Wines - you never know what you’re going to get.
Additional Natural Wine Terms
ZERO/ZERO: As a sub-section of natural wine, zero-zero commonly refers to two styles of winemaking. The first is specific to wines made with the addition of zero sulfur (a commonly used preservative) and zero commercial yeast. The second is a broader reference for wines where nothing is added or removed during the winemaking process that is not naturally present in the wine. This means
GLOU GLOU/ VIN DI SOIF: Glou-Glou literally means glug-glug in English and vin de soif means it’s a wine for someone that’s thirsty. Both allude to a style of wine that is refreshing, juicy and crushable. Glou-glou wines generally have medium-to-high acidity, but a relatively low alcohol percentage (somewhere between 10 and 12 percent ABV). As the name implies, glou-glou wines are meant to be poured, not stored. While glou-glou can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways, the important thing is to drink them with a slight chill and young. But bear in mind that not all natural wines can be described as glou glou.
PET-NAT/PETILLANT NATURAL: Pét-nat wines are sparkling wines that are often capped with a beer topper. They have a slight sparkle to them and differ from Champagne in that they are bottled before the first fermentation is complete. Pet-Nats will often have sediment or appear hazy from the left over yeast that settles at the bottom of the bottle.
SULPHUR/SULPHITES: a naturally occurring chemical compound that is found in all wines. Some winemakers choose to add additional sulfites in order to stabilize the flavor of wine and maintain consistency over years when bottles sit on shelves or in cellars. There is a hotly contested debate amongst natural wine enthusiasts of whether a true natural wine should include the use of sulphur.
NATIVE YEASTS: Native yeast: yeast that occurs naturally in the winemaking environment, rather than using added yeast that is not native to the soil to complete fermentation. Using native yeast means the wine will express more of the terroir or soil from which the grapes are grown, in its taste.
BIODYNAMIC: The official definition of biodynamic farming according to the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association is “a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, gardens, food production and nutrition.” Biodynamic wine is made using a set of practices first introduced in the 1920’s by a philosopher named Rudolph Steiner. He views agriculture as one living, breathing entity, from the soil, to the animals on the grounds and even the lunar cycles.
ORGANIC: The United States and the EU have different restrictions on what can be considered organic or not. wine produced without added chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides, or even sulfur. In the EU, wines with added sulfur are considered organic, but the US considers any wine with added sulfur to be non-organic. Not all organic wine is necessarily natural, but all natural wines are made with organically or biodynamically grown grapes. Natural wine can contain no or low sulfites (10-100 parts per million versus the 350 ppm allowed) to preserve the product, preventing oxidation, as it's bottled.
RAW WINE: Another name for Natural Wine
AMPHORA: A large clay vessel used in the fermentation and ageing of wine. Called by different names, Qvevri in Georgia, Anfora in Italy, Tinaja in Spain, Talha in Portugal, or Karas in Armenia, this is an old-world method revived by natural wine’s interest in preserving traditional methods. In fermentation, the clay of the amphora preserves the grape variety’s flavors and aromas that can create complex wines full of fruitiness and primary aromas. The clay also is able to hold temperature very well, creating a stable environment for the wine to slowly ferment without extra refrigeration or cooling apparatus.
UNFILTERED/UNFINED: Unfiltered wine does not go through a process of filtration or fining to remove leftover, often unwanted particles to clarify the final product. Some commonly used fining agents (that react with particles to create a removable compound) used in this separation are gelatine, egg white and isinglass, so removing this step means that more of these wines are vegan.
ORANGE WINE: Orange Wines are essentially white wines, made using the grape skins as well as the juice. By macerating the wine juice with the skins during and even after fermentation (which is not done when making white wine) the tannins, flavour and colour structure of the wine changes.
FIVE TO TRY
Bichi Pet-Mex, Tecate, Baja, Mexico 2022 (Sparkling Rose)
Pet Mex comes from a single, dry-farmed, and own-rooted 69-year-old vineyard comprised of a mysterious grape variety that remains unidentified. The vines are planted close to the Pacific Ocean in the area of San Antonio de las Minas in Ensenada, Baja. The grapes are hand-harvested, de-stemmed, and pressed after a few hours on the skins. Fermentation is with wild yeasts, and the wine is bottled before fermentation is finished, where the wine went through secondary fermentation, a la metodo ancestral. The result is a fresh and vibrant sparkling rosado, a perfect vin de soif to knock down on a hot day. No filtration or added SO2.
Clos de Guarans ‘Les Someres Vi-Blanc’ Catalunya, Spain 2021 (white)
A blend of Subirat Parent, Xarel-lo Vermell, Malvasia de Sitges and Vinyater. The name Clos dels Guarans is an homage to the Guarà, the storied Catalan breed of donkey that was immensely influential in the development of European agriculture over the course of the last millenium. Clos dels Guarans is a member of AFRAC, an organization dedicated to the protection and repopulation of these noble animals. The wine has low alcohol and high acidity but with more character than you expect given the low ripeness of the grapes. It's clean and tasty, refreshing and easy to drink, with a natural twist.
Movia 'Rebula' Ribolla Gialla, Brda, Slovenia 2019 (orange)
Located in the village of Ceglo in the heart of the Brda appellation, literally a stone’s throw from the Italian border, Movia is widely put the Slovenia on the map of the world’s great wine regions in the late 1990's. The current generation of Movia is led by winemaker Aleš Kristančič who is as renowned for his passionate embrace of organic and biodynamic farming practices as he is for his larger-than-life personality and ingenious approach to winemaking. Movia Ribolla has an inviting golden to amber color, which speaks of longer skin contact and 18 months aging in barrique. Nose is amazingly rich for Ribolla, with gooseberries and blackcurrants dominating. Very dry, medium bodied with touch of tannins and salty savoury character.
Pax Mahle Mission Grape 'Somers Vineyard' Lodi, California 2021 (dark rose)
These Mission grapes (the variety is also called Paíz) were planted in the early 1900s. According to Pax, many of the vine trunks are over six feet tall. This 120 year-old site is dry-farmed, and organically. Savory and spicy on the nose this light red adds copious floral and fruity notes on the palate that mix with hints of pepper and umami to make for a deliciously quaffable red that has just enough crunchy tannin to keep everything in check.
Domaine Mosse ‘Bangarang’ Rouge Loire Valley 2022 (red wine)
Agnès and René Mosse, along with their sons Joseph and Sylvestre, live and work in the village of St-Lambert-du-Lattay, a village in the Coteaux-du-Layon area of Anjou. They started making wines in 2014 and focus on indigenous Loire varietals such as Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Chenin. They actually ripped out all of their Cabernet Sauvignon vines upon purchasing the property. The Rouge blend changes every year and for 2022 we have a mix of 50% Pineau d'Aunis, 30% Grolleau, 20% Sauvignon. It's also 100% light and lovely showing a very bright candy red color and subtle aromas of raspberry, cherry, violet, citrus and earth. The palate is remarkably refreshing with earthy berry fruits, mineral flavors and crisp acidity - serve very cool with any casual meal, just delicious!
Additional Reading & Sources
The World of Natural Wine: What It Is, Who Makes It, and Why It Matters (Book)
Perman Wine Selections, Chicago (local wine shop to source natural wines)
Mysa Natural Wine (online wine shop, wine club and resource)
