Lately I’ve been interested in learning more about natural and organic wines.
Should I even care?
And what’s the difference between natural wine, organic wine and biodynamic wine?).
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Why Are There Chemicals in My Wine?
If you thought all wine was made of just grapes and yeast, you’re not alone.
Heeken admits she too believed the same thing before she got involved in the natural wine movement.
“I got into natural wine organically, no pun intended!”
They made no other additions to the wine."
Believe it or not, this isn’t how all wine is made.
She adds that over72 chemical additions are allowed into wineby the U.S. federal government.
So, What Kinds of Chemicals and Other Additives Could Be in My Wine?
And How Come They Aren’t Listed on the Bottle?
Loper and Stewart explained that additives launch the gamutbut not all of them should be a cause for concern.
“Wines are manipulated for multiple reasons, and not all of them bad,” Stewart says.
Heeken explains that there are no rules for labeling wine.
Who would want to drink something with that many additives?"
What Is Natural Wine, Anyways?
“For me the definition is pretty clear, and always has been,” Heeken says. "
The old saying is ‘nothing added, nothing taken away.’
Natural wines can be organic and biodynamic, but organic and biodynamic wines aren’t always natural.
“Every bottle is intentionally differentjust as every growing year is different,” Stewart says.
“The beauty of wine is that is has potential to show its placeor terroir.”
Terroir is quite the buzzword among the natural wine community.
No natural winegrower or maker should be shooting for a key in or a style.
It’s important to know that natural wine is a living thing and will evolve and change over time.
Like people, wines can have an off day!"
“Natural wine is not manipulated within an inch of its life for be homogenous,” Heeken says.
“That is the beauty and excitement of wine, or should be.
It should tell a story of the vintage, the place, the person who made it.”
“You see these wine displays at ‘healthy’ grocers selling brands that make very manipulated wines.
But most people don’t know that.
More and more grocers are focused on organic food, but wine is still an afterthought.”
Pet-nat is a popular sparkling wine from the Loire Valley and could be a good introduction.
“We just want to be transparent and help you understand what you are buying.
It’s all about having conversations.
