What is natural wine?

Natural wine is not an official category nor a protected label.
It is primarily a way of making wine , with as little intervention as possible and as much attention as possible to the grape, location and harvest year.

Natural wine is wine made from organically or biodynamically grown grapes, fermented spontaneously and produced without or with minimal additions in the cellar. There is no official definition, but the philosophy is always the same: as little intervention as possible, as much honesty as possible.

But what does that mean in concrete terms?

How is natural wine made?

With natural wine the focus is on simplicity:

• grapes from organic or biodynamic viticulture

• manual harvest

• spontaneous fermentation with yeasts naturally present on the grapes

• little to no additives

• little to no added sulphites (SO2)
  
  

• minimal filtering or clarification

The winemaker intervenes as little as possible and lets the wine tell its own story .

This doesn’t mean that everything is “let go” — but rather that the wine is less controlled.

Is natural wine always different from 'regular' wine?

Often, but not always in the same way.

Because natural wine is corrected less:

• differ in vintages more

• flavors are less smoothed out

• structure and aromas could be more pronounced

Some natural wines are clean and clear, others are expressive and idiosyncratic.

What does 'funky wine' mean?

The term funky wine is often heard in relation to natural wine.
But what does it actually mean?

Funky wine is not a style, but an experience .

It is used for wines that:

• distinct smell or taste

• deviate from classic wine aromas

• sometimes have a slightly wild or unpolished side

Think about:

• yeasty notes

• earthy aromas

• spiciness

• sometimes something you can't immediately place

• lots of energy!

Important:
funky isn't necessarily wrong.
It's mainly a matter of taste and balance.

Is all natural wine funky?

No, definitely not!

That is a persistent misconception.
Many natural wines are precisely:

• fresh

• precisely

• drinkable

• gastronomic

Funkiness can occur, but it is not a goal in itself.
Good natural wine remains in balance , even if it has character.

What is the difference between natural wine and conventional wine?

The biggest difference is:

• how much intervention is taking place

• how much is added

• how much is corrected

Conventional wine is often technically perfect and consistent.
Natural wine is often personal, lively and less predictable .

Neither is inherently better; it's simply a different approach. We've written more about this in this blog post .

Frequently asked questions about natural wine

Is natural wine always organic? Not officially, but in practice yes. Most natural winemakers farm organically or biodynamically, that is the starting point.

Is natural wine vegan? Yes. Natural wine is not fined or filtered using animal products such as gelatine or egg whites.

Why is natural wine sometimes cloudy? Because it is not or barely filtered. The cloudiness comes from yeast or tartrates, not a flaw, but a choice.

Does natural wine contain less sulphite than conventional wine? Yes, generally. Conventional wine often contains up to 200mg/l SO2, natural wine usually less than 30mg/l or none at all.

Discover natural wine

Within natural wine there is no single taste or style.
You will find there:

• fresh white wines

• orange wines

• wet and dry

• light and deep red wines

We have a wide range, from sleek, classic-tasting and pure to a touch funky and everything in between.

Also read: What is pet nat?
What is orange wine ?
Wine pairing advice