Natural wine is produced using traditional methods with minimal additives, often from organically grown grapes and fermented with wild yeasts. It typically has low sulfur content and is usually unfiltered.
How it is made
Natural wine is made from grapes grown without pesticides or herbicides, harvested by hand. The fermentation occurs naturally with wild yeasts present on the grapes. No additives like artificial flavors, sugar, acids, or excessive sulfites are used. The wine undergoes minimal filtration and fining.
History
Natural wine as a movement began in the 1990s when Jenny Lefcour moved to Paris and discovered distinctive wines. In Georgia, a legal definition was established in 2026, defining it as wine from spontaneous fermentation of organic grape must with limited sulfur content. Georgian poet Ilia Chavchavadze defended traditional natural winemaking in the late 19th century.
Types and styles
Natural wine encompasses various styles but is characterized by minimal intervention in production. Different countries have their own standards, with most limiting sulfites to 30-40 mg/l compared to 160 mg/l in conventional wines. Organizations like S.A.I.N.S. in France have strict definitions, prohibiting additives but allowing some filtration.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Натуральное вино, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.