What Is Natural Wine?

What Is Natural Wine? 

The short answer is that natural wine is… well, wine made as naturally as possible. This means that fruit is (at minimum) farmed organically, and in the cellar, nothing is added or taken away. Fruit ferments with native yeasts, no additives are used, and the wines are generally bottled unfined and unfiltered.  

Are Natural Wine and Organic Wine the Same Thing? 

Not exactly. Organic wines simply designate the way in which the fruit has been farmed (and on the more complex side, the amount of sulfites that have been added). For example, in Europe, higher levels of added sulfites are permitted than in American wines. The labelling solution here is that wines made from organically-farmed fruit but use added sulfites in the States are designated as ‘Wine Made with Organic Grapes’ and not ‘Organic Wine.’  

On the other hand, natural wine is produced from organically-farmed fruit, though the responsible and low-intervention practices go far beyond the vineyard. It’s sort of like how all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares – all natural wines are organic, but not all organic wines are natural.  

So, What’s the Difference Between Natural Wine and Organic / Biodynamic / Sustainable Wine? 

As mentioned, organic wines are produced from organically-farmed fruit. Biodynamic wines are produced from fruit grown in vineyards that are tended with biodynamic principles, which incorporate using holistic methods, cow manure treatments, and following the lunar calendar. ‘Sustainable’ is a bit of a vague term, in that there really are no regulations around the word sustainable.  

Does Natural Wine Come In All Colors and Styles? 

Yes! Natural wines are produced in red, white, rosé, and ‘orange’ formats. Natural wines can also be made still or sparkling and are produced all over the dryness / sweetness spectrum.  

What Does Natural Wine Taste Like? 

As with traditionally made wines, natural wines fall all over the flavor profile spectrum. However, many die-hard fans and wine professionals claim that natural wines taste more alive and energetic than other wines, as they are produced from healthy fruit and vinified without the use of chemicals or additives in the cellar.  

Where Is Natural Wine Made? 

Natural wine is produced all over the world. In France, this style of winemaking is rather popular in the Loire Valley, Jura, and Languedoc regions.  

Who Are Some Great Natural Wine Producers? 

Talented producers of natural wine exist all over the world, though here are some of our favorite producers in France: 

Beaujolais 
Famille Dutraive 
Marcel Lapierre 
Yann Bertrand 

Burgundy 
Vin Noé 
Chantereves 

Jura 
Domaine de l’Octavin  
Valentin Morel 

Languedoc 
Le Bout du Monde 
La Terrasse d’Elise 
Maxime Magnon 

Champagne 
Ruppert-Leroy 
Laherte Freres 

Loire Valley 
Catherine & Pierre Breton 
Domaine du Collier 
Domaine la Grange Tiphaine 
Clos du Tue-Bœuf 

Alsace 
Domaine de l’Envol 
Christian Binner 

Rhône 
Hervé Souhaut 
Aurélien Chatagnier 

> Interested to learn more about the secrets French wines? Check out our Beginner's Guide To French Wine!