Is it normal that when you drink a lot of wine, you get a bad headache the next morning, right? Well, no! It’s not at all normal—at most, it’s become standard because of the chemicals present in the wines you find on store shelves. Chemical products are found in fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides used in the vineyards. And oenological additives are added during winemaking to shape the flavor, stabilize, and speed up the launch of the wine on the market. Fortunately, more and more farmers are moving away from this business logic and returning to working in harmony with the land, nature, and its rhythms. Among them, the most “hardcore and pure” are the producers of the so-called natural wines.
Those who make natural wine start with the vineyard soil
It’s easy and reassuring to rely on chemicals to defend plants from disease and achieve a higher yield. But this results in more watered-down fruit, the death of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, alters the flavors of the fruit, and leaves residues in the wine. The path chosen by natural winemakers is different, riskier, but respectful of the environment and also the health of their customers. By using only plant-based fertilizers and planting flowers and herbs between the vineyard rows, biodiversity is reintroduced, beneficial microorganisms and insects return, the soil is oxygenated, purified, and nourished, and the plants become more resistant to disease. It might seem odd, but a vineyard full of “weeds” is a sign that the winemaker is making wine with love for the land.
A wine can be natural or engineered in the cellar
With conventional wines, the winemaker uses selected yeasts and clarifiers to create a taste that statistically appeals to as many customers as possible. They also use stabilizers to manage fermentation, so the wine can hit the market faster. Even when making natural wine, there is still some human intervention, but it should not alter the original taste of the wine and should not interfere with nature’s own rhythms. In the world of natural wines, the winemaker’s skill lies precisely in knowing the right time to intervene so that the wine turns out well.
What should we expect from the natural wine market?
First of all, no standard flavor—each vintage will be a bit different from the previous one since, year after year, nature and the weather change. Then, the wine won’t always be available on the market when we want it. Changing conditions and the pickiness of those who make wine for love can delay a bottle’s release by several months. Finally, become loyal to a winery, not a label. Sometimes you’ll see great wines come out one year and disappear the next because the different conditions lead the winemaker to take a different path just to achieve the best result.
Don’t let others decide your personal taste
In a world where products are no longer standardized, the best part is searching for the wine that perfectly matches our own taste. Sure, we might find some we don’t love, but we can also find those made just for us, wines that represent us! In the natural wine sector, it can happen that you taste wines that aren’t good, some even with off-putting odors, and you’re told it’s because they’re natural and you have to get used to this type of taste. I disagree—I think those are mistakes! The winemaker’s skill lies in making good wine, maybe by changing direction, as I mentioned above. Letting it go wherever it wants is an extreme approach that’s hard to agree with, or even a sign of a lack of skill. Trust me, if you taste a natural wine that’s been made well, you won’t want to go back!
Humanity and love for one’s work
Get close to the world of natural wines and you’ll find products that reject a business mindset and embrace a love for the fruit of one’s labor. If you get the chance, go to a natural wine fair. You’ll find yourself in a real world, with bare tables and bottles without too many frills. A world where wine takes center stage and the atmosphere is friendly; you’ll often see producers exchanging bottles, eager to let colleagues taste the result of their work and love.
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