If you’ve dined out in the past year or two (yes, even during a pandemic), you’ve undoubtedly encountered a new wave of wines sweeping across restaurant menus around the globe. What started as a small fad of brunch-lovers drinking orange wine with their eggs, has turned into a natural wine explosion.

Heading into 2022, natural wines are going to be all the rage, but there is a litany of questions that need some clarity. First, what is natural wine? Second, why are they becoming so popular? And third, are they any good?

At Fine Dining Lovers, we wanted to get to the bottom of this trend, so we did a little research, consulted some experts, and sampled a lot of natural wines to see what this fad is all about.

 

What is natural wine? 

According to Todd White, founder of Dry Farm Wines, which is the largest buyer and seller of natural wine in the world, “natural wine is a return to real wine – organically grown, without processing or additives. That means none of the added sulphites, artificial colouring, extra sugar, genetically modified yeasts, ammonia, and egg whites or other animal products that are often used in commercial winemaking. When you’re buying natural wine, what you’re getting is good, pure wine – and that’s it. Beyond that, natural wine is often produced using biodynamic or organic farming practices, which produces a wine that is often better for your body, and better for the earth.”

This of course leads to other questions – what is organic wine and what is biodynamic wine and how is natural wine different? Again, White has some answers: “Biodynamic farms are wild ecosystems. Farmers work with the land to create an environment that supports healthy, thriving plants. They grow a number of different crops – strengthening the biodiversity of the land they’re living on – which in turn creates healthier plants and benefits the entire ecosystem of the farm. Grapes from organic, biodynamic farms are richer in nutrients than grapes from conventional farms because they’re grown in thriving soil full of minerals and micronutrients, free from harmful toxins. They also have a more complex flavour profile than other grapes due to being farmed in better conditions.”

If that makes things both clearer and more confusing, you’re not alone. To clear it up, we also chatted with Noelia Orts, the oenologist for Emiliana, which is a Chilean winery north of Santiago. Emiliana is the world’s largest organic winery and is one of the leading producers of certified organic and biodynamic wines globally. Orts says that a natural wine …….

Source: https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/what-are-natural-wines