· By Giuseppe Ventrella
NATURAL WINE EXPLAINED: A NO-BS GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
How do you think wine was made before the post-WWII industrialization of agriculture?
Before chemical additives, before mechanical harvesting, before factory-style production lines churning out millions of identical bottles?
Spoiler alert: it was made by hand, in small batches, naturally.
"Wait, so you're telling me the wine I've been drinking isn't... natural?"
That's exactly what I'm saying.
Most people ignore that modern winemaking practices only emerged in the 1950s-1970s, when the focus shifted from traditional methods to mass production. That's when chemicals, technology, and industrial processes began dominating the wine world. Before that, all wine was essentially what we now call "natural wine."
My story
Let me tell you my story, because it might sound familiar.
I was a completely normal wine drinker. Growing up in Italy, wine was just... wine. Something you have with food, no big deal. I never questioned what was in it or how it was made.
Around 2010, I was a lot into craft beers, they became pretty popular and I couldn't but notice how superior their character was to any commercial beers. Around 2014 I was introduced to natural wine and BOOOM...
That first bottle hit me like a revelation. The flavors were alive, electric, honest in a way I'd never experienced. Each bottle after that told a different story – some wild, some elegant, but all of them vibrating with an energy that conventional wines simply didn't have.
I couldn't go back. It would be like finally seeing the world in vivid color, then voluntarily putting on black-and-white glasses again. Why would anyone do that?
What Is Natural Wine (And Why Should You Care?)
So what exactly is it? At its core, natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. It's grape juice that's fermented without all the chemicals, additives, and technological manipulations that have become standard in conventional winemaking.
"So you're telling me that conventional wine isn't made just with… grapes?"
Exactly! You would be scared by the amount of additives legally allowed in the winemaking process, even in the bottles labelled as organic wine you buy at the supermarket.
Think of it this way: conventional wine is like ultra-processed food, while natural wine is like farm-to-table cooking. One has a list of ingredients longer than your arm; the other is just the pure, honest expression of what nature intended.
"So isn't this just some hipster trend?"
Nope – look at it as the original way of making wine, just with a rebellious modern revival.
Natural Wine vs. Conventional Wine: What's The Difference?
Before we dive deeper, let's break down the key differences:
Conventional Wine Production
- Chemical pesticides and herbicides in the vineyard
- Machine harvesting (often damaging the grapes)
- Added commercial yeasts (sometimes engineered for specific flavors)
- Dozens of approved additives (over 70 in EU and US)
- Heavy filtration and fining
- High sulfite levels (up to 350mg/L)
- Often manipulated for consistent taste year after year
Natural Wine Production
- Organic or biodynamic farming (certified or practicing)
- Hand harvesting (preserving the integrity of the fruit)
- Wild/native yeast fermentation
- Minimal to zero additives
- Little to no filtration
- Minimal or no added sulfites
- Expresses the true character of each vintage
Why Natural Wine Has a Cult Following
"OK, but if natural wine is so great, why haven't I heard more about it? And why isn't all wine made this way?"
Good questions. For decades, the wine industry has prioritized consistency, scalability, and profit margins over authenticity and sustainability. When you're producing millions of identical bottles, nature becomes something to control rather than respect.
Natural wine has exploded in popularity over the past decade or so precisely because people are waking up to what's been lost in that industrial approach:
- Authenticity: Each bottle tells the real story of its place, vintage, and maker
- Transparency: What you see is what you get - just fermented grape juice
- Environmental impact: Sustainable farming practices that work with nature, not against it
- Health considerations: No chemicals and toxic additives
- Flavor adventure: Unique, sometimes wild flavors you won't find in conventional wines
Healthier Soil, Healthier Plants, Happier You
"Ok, but is there any benefit for me… and for the environment?"
Definitely! And this might be the most important part.
As the world shifts towards conscious, sustainable consumption, natural wine is a vital act of resistance against an industry that degrades the soil with invasive techniques and monocultures and disconnects us from natural cycles, harming our health.
Conventional vineyards are often ecological deserts. Years of chemical herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers leave the soil depleted, compacted, and biologically dead. These farming practices release carbon, pollute waterways, and destroy biodiversity.
Natural winemakers take a completely different approach:
Biodynamic Farming
Many natural winemakers practice biodynamic agriculture – a holistic approach that treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining ecosystem. It's not just about avoiding chemicals; it's about actively creating health.
These vineyards are teeming with life: cover crops between vine rows, farm animals grazing, birds nesting, beneficial insects pollinating. Treatments are plant-based and applied according to lunar cycles (yes, it sounds mystical, but the results speak for themselves).
Regenerative Agriculture
Some natural winemakers go even further with regenerative practices that actually improve the land. Through techniques like no-till farming, composting, and diverse plantings, these vineyards actually sequester carbon from the atmosphere and build soil health year after year.
Studies on regenerative agriculture have consistently shown improvements in soil structure, water retention, and biodiversity compared to conventional farming methods. While research specific to vineyards is still emerging, the principles remain the same – working with nature rather than against it produces healthier ecosystems.
The proof is in the vineyard: walk through a natural wine estate and you'll see flourishing ecosystems where once there were monocultures.
Common Misconceptions About Natural Wine
"OK, I'm intrigued. But I've heard some things about natural wine that make me hesitant..."
Let's clear up a few myths:
"Natural wine is expensive"
Let's put this in perspective. In any European city, you'll happily pay €10 or more for a gin-tonic made with about €0.50 worth of tonic water, €1-2 of basic gin, and some ice cubes. That's roughly €2.50 in ingredients marked up four times over.
Meanwhile, a glass of natural wine – handcrafted from organically grown grapes that only grow once a year, made with incredible care and skill – costs between €5-10.
When you think about the true cost of production, natural wine offers remarkable value.
"Natural wine is always funky or flawed"
"I tried a natural wine once and it tasted like... cider? Or kombucha? Is that normal?"
Natural wines have a wider range of expressions than conventional wines, and yes, some can be funky or have cidery notes. But that's only one end of a very diverse spectrum.
Many natural wines are clean, precise, and absolutely stunning in their purity. The beauty is in the diversity – there's truly something for every palate, from crisp, mineral whites to juicy, fruity reds.
If you didn't enjoy your first natural wine, don't give up! It's like saying you don't like The Beatles after hearing only one note.
"It's just a hipster trend"
While natural wine has certainly become trendy in urban wine bars, this success likely stems from the global shift towards more conscious and sustainable consumption.
Take sourdough bread. It certainly wasn't invented during the 2020 lockdowns to keep us busy! If you ask your grandmother how bread was like when she was a child, she'll tell you it was definitely closer to that sourdough loaf than to the pre-sliced, bagged white mass you find at the supermarket.
Similarly, we can say that in many European wine regions there is a tradition and a memory, still very much alive and active, of traditional and low-intervention winemaking methods. First and foremost, Georgia, historically the cradle of wine.
No. Today's natural wine movement isn't new – it's a return to winemaking as it was meant to be.
Fun fact: Some of the world's most prestigious and expensive wines, like Romanée Conti and many top Champagne houses, have been farming biodynamically for decades. They just don't shout about it.
How To Spot A Natural Wine
"This all sounds great, but how do I actually find natural wines? There's no 'natural wine' section at my local shop."
You're right, and that can make things tricky. There's no legal definition or certification for "natural wine" (though some organizations like France's "Vin Méthode Nature" are trying to change that).
Here's what to look and ask for:
- Farming practices: Organic or biodynamic grapes (certified or practicing)
- Fermentation: Wild/native yeasts (look for terms like "spontaneous fermentation")
- Minimal intervention: Little to no additives, 0/0 or no added sulfites
- Unfiltered: May appear cloudy or have sediment
- Labels: Look for phrases like "vin nature", "zero-zero," or "vin naturel", "vino naturale"
One surefire way to find natural wines? Shop from specialists who've done the legwork for you (like us at Wyrd Wine – shameless plug, but hey, we regularly visit producers and wine fairs).
Natural Wine Styles For Beginners
Pet-Nat (Pétillant Naturel)
The fun, fizzy gateway to natural wine. Despite its fancy sound, Pétillant Naturel simply means "naturally sparkling." Often sealed with a crown cap (like beer), these wines are made using the ancient and traditional "méthode ancestrale." This method involves bottling the wine before the initial fermentation is complete. The remaining sugars are consumed by yeast within the sealed bottle, creating natural bubbles. They're playful, unpretentious, and ridiculously drinkable.
Orange Wine (Skin-Contact White Wine)
White grapes fermented with their skins (like red wine), creating amber/orange colors and fascinating textures. These wines offer tannins and complexity you won't find in conventional white wines – think tea-like structures with notes of dried fruits, nuts, and spices.
Light, Juicy Reds
Often made with carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration (a technique where grapes ferment within their own skins), these reds are fresh, fruity, and meant for chilling. Low in tannin and high in drinkability.
Is Natural Wine For Everyone?
"Be honest – will I actually like natural wine? I'm no wine expert."
Does anybody has to like the original Neapolitan-style Pizza?
Here's the honest truth: natural wine isn't for everyone – and that's perfectly ok!
If you've tried a few and didn't enjoy them, maybe they're not for you. Or maybe you just haven't found the right one yet. The natural wine world is incredibly diverse, with styles ranging from clean and precise to wild and experimental.
The good news? You don't need to be a wine expert to enjoy natural wine. In fact, sometimes wine knowledge can get in the way – natural wines often break all the "rules" you might have learned.
At Wyrd Wine, we believe wine should be honest and real – like the people who make it. We don't do wine snobbery, and we won't judge your preferences. We believe taste is king, and everybody has its own.
Where To Start Your Natural Wine Journey
"OK, I'm ready to try. But where do I begin? There's so much out there!"
The best way to explore natural wine is to approach it with curiosity and an open mind. Forget what you think you know about wine and be ready to discover something entirely new.
Maybe start with lighter styles if you're new to natural wine:
- Pet-Nats - These lightly sparkling wines are fun, approachable, and often fruit-forward
- Glou-Glou Reds - Light, chillable reds made for easy drinking (literally "glug-glug" in French)
- Fresh Whites - Crisp, mineral whites that show purity and brightness
As you develop your palate, you can venture into more complex territories like long-macerated orange wines.
"And if I don't like my first bottle?"
Don't give up! Finding the right natural wine is like discovering new music genres. Maybe Death metal isn't your thing, but 90s Hip Hop might be. There's truly something for every taste.
The Real Bottom Line
To wrap things up, we can only give you one big piece of advice: be curious. Don't let some random Instagram comment from a "winefluencer" or keyboard sommelier deprive you of the most important thing: your individual taste.
And if you end up falling in love with natural wine, who knows? Maybe we'll run into each other at an international natural wine fair, or while visiting some hidden gem of a winery.
From our experience, the natural wine world is full of amazing, convivial, generous, and lively people, and that's what led us to create Wyrd Wine in the first place. You can expect that same spontaneity and kindness from us, so don't hesitate to reach out for personal suggestions or recommendations.
Enjoy the journey!