Written by Michele Longari IWA
Natural wine has become one of the most talked about subjects in the wine world. Depending on whom you ask, it represents either an exciting return to traditional winemaking or a rather expensive excuse for drinking something that smells suspiciously like a farmyard.
As is often the case with wine, the truth is considerably more interesting than either extreme.
Over the past decade, natural wines have moved from specialist wine bars and independent merchants into the wider public consciousness. They have attracted a new generation of wine drinkers, challenged established ideas about winemaking and sparked some remarkably passionate arguments.
But what exactly makes a wine natural? Does it taste different? Is it better for you? And perhaps most importantly, is it actually worth drinking?
Let's explore what is happening inside those sometimes unconventional bottles.
What Is Natural Wine?
At its simplest, natural wine is wine made with as little intervention as possible, both in the vineyard and in the winery.
The philosophy begins with grapes grown using organic or biodynamic farming principles, without synthetic herbicides or pesticides. Once harvested, the grapes are generally fermented using the naturally occurring yeasts present on the fruit and in the winery environment.
The winemaker then tries to interfere as little as reasonably possible with the transformation of grapes into wine.
That usually means avoiding unnecessary additives, excessive manipulation, aggressive filtration and large additions of sulphur dioxide.
The objective is to allow the grapes, the vineyard and the vintage to express themselves with as little modification as possible.
It sounds wonderfully straightforward.
Of course, anyone who has ever worked in a winery will tell you that allowing nature to take its course is not always quite as relaxing as it sounds.
Fermentation involves millions of microorganisms, unpredictable chemical reactions and an agricultural product that changes every year. Sometimes nature behaves beautifully. Sometimes it has other plans.
Making good natural wine therefore requires considerable knowledge, careful observation and, occasionally, nerves of steel.
Is Natural Wine Actually Natural?
This is where things become slightly complicated.
Unlike certified organic wine, natural wine does not have one universally accepted legal definition.
Different producers, associations and wine professionals interpret the term in slightly different ways.
Some believe natural wine should contain absolutely no added sulphites. Others accept small additions when necessary to protect the wine.
Some insist on certified organic grapes, while others accept producers who follow organic practices without formal certification.
There are, however, organisations working to establish clearer standards.
In France, for example, the Vin Méthode Nature association has developed a charter requiring certified organic or biodynamic grapes, manual harvesting, fermentation with indigenous yeasts and strict limitations on additives and winemaking techniques.
Its rules permit a small addition of sulphites after fermentation, provided the total sulphur dioxide remains below 30 mg/L.
This illustrates something important. Even among producers committed to natural winemaking, there can be different interpretations of what minimal intervention should mean.
Personally, I find it more useful to understand how a particular wine has been made than to become obsessed with whether it fits perfectly into a particular category.
After all, wine is not improved by winning an argument about terminology.
Natural Wine vs Organic Wine: What's the Difference?
One of the most common misconceptions is that natural wine and organic wine are essentially the same thing.
They are closely related, but there is an important distinction.
Organic wine is produced according to defined agricultural and winemaking standards. These regulate vineyard treatments and restrict certain additives and production techniques.
Natural wine generally takes organic farming as its starting point but places particular emphasis on reducing intervention during fermentation and subsequent winemaking.
A certified organic wine might be fermented using selected commercial yeasts, carefully filtered and protected with permitted additions of sulphur dioxide.
A natural winemaker would typically prefer spontaneous fermentation, minimal filtration and very limited additions.
Neither approach automatically produces a better wine.
For a more detailed explanation of the differences between organic, biodynamic and natural wines, you can read our earlier article, Organic, Biodynamic & Natural Wine: What's the Difference?.
For now, the important thing to remember is that natural wine is primarily a philosophy of minimal intervention, rather than simply another farming certification.
Why Do Natural Winemakers Use Wild Yeasts?
Yeast is responsible for one of the most remarkable transformations in food and drink production.
It converts the sugars present in grape juice into alcohol, producing numerous aromatic compounds along the way.
In conventional winemaking, producers frequently use selected commercial yeast strains. These can help ensure reliable fermentation and may influence the resulting wine's aromatic profile.
Natural winemakers generally prefer spontaneous fermentation, relying on the yeasts naturally present on the grapes and within the winery.
The idea is that these microbial populations can contribute to the individual character of the wine.
However, spontaneous fermentation is not necessarily better simply because it happens naturally.
Commercial yeasts provide greater predictability, while spontaneous fermentation can introduce additional complexity but also greater uncertainty.
Fermentations may progress slowly, become stuck or develop unwanted characteristics.
Good natural winemakers understand these risks and manage them through careful hygiene, temperature control, observation and experience.
Minimal intervention does not mean abandoning responsibility.
It means knowing when intervention is genuinely necessary and when it can be avoided.
What Does Natural Wine Taste Like?
Here is where natural wine becomes particularly interesting.
There is no single natural wine flavour.
Some natural wines are exceptionally fresh, clean and elegant. Others are more aromatic, savoury, earthy or unusual.
You might encounter delicate floral whites, vibrant reds bursting with fresh fruit, textured orange wines or sparkling wines with a wonderfully rustic personality.
Some bottles may appear slightly cloudy because they have not been heavily filtered.
Others may display aromas associated with spontaneous fermentation or extended skin contact.
But none of these characteristics is compulsory.
A natural wine does not have to be cloudy, funky or unconventional to be authentic.
In fact, some of the finest examples are remarkably precise and elegant.
One of the mistakes people make when approaching natural wine is expecting every bottle to taste radically different from conventional wine.
Sometimes it does.
Sometimes it simply tastes like a very good wine.
And frankly, that should never be considered a disappointment.
Are Natural Wines Supposed to Taste Funky?
The word "funky" has become almost inseparable from discussions about natural wine.
It is also one of the least precise descriptions in the entire wine vocabulary, which is quite an achievement.
People use it to describe everything from pleasant earthy aromas to volatile acidity, unusual fermentation characteristics and genuine wine faults.
Some natural wines display distinctive savoury or oxidative notes that can be enjoyable when they are balanced and appropriate to the style.
Others develop characteristics that are less desirable.
High volatile acidity, for example, can produce aromas reminiscent of vinegar or nail polish remover.
Excessive oxidation may cause a wine to lose freshness and fruit character.
These are recognised wine faults, not automatic signs of authenticity.
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust provides a useful explanation of common wine faults and how to recognise them.
My view is fairly simple.
A little unpredictability can make wine fascinating. But there is a difference between complexity and a fault that overwhelms everything else.
We should not excuse poor winemaking simply because the label says natural.
If a wine is unpleasant, calling it authentic does not suddenly make it delicious.
Does Natural Wine Contain Sulphites?
Yes, natural wine can contain sulphites, even when none have been added.
This is one of the most important distinctions to understand.
Sulphur dioxide is commonly used in winemaking because it helps protect wine against oxidation and unwanted microbial activity.
However, sulphites can also be produced naturally during fermentation.
Consequently, a wine made without any added sulphur dioxide may still contain measurable sulphites.
This is why the expressions "no added sulphites" and "sulphite free" should not be treated as interchangeable.
Many natural winemakers avoid adding sulphites entirely. Others use very small quantities, often towards bottling, to help preserve the wine's stability.
There are reasonable arguments for both approaches.
A small, carefully judged addition may protect a wine during transport and storage, particularly when it will travel considerable distances before reaching the consumer.
On the other hand, some producers achieve excellent results without adding any sulphur dioxide at all.
Ultimately, the quality of the grapes, winery hygiene, oxygen management and the producer's technical understanding all play important roles.
If you are particularly interested in this subject, explore our Low Sulphite Discovery Case, which brings together wines made using different approaches to sulphur dioxide management.
Is Natural Wine Healthier?
This is probably one of the questions I hear most frequently.
Unfortunately, it is also where marketing sometimes gets ahead of the evidence.
Natural wines are often associated with fewer additives, organic farming and reduced sulphite additions.
Those production choices may be important to consumers who want to understand more about how their wine is made.
However, there is no convincing evidence that natural wine is inherently healthier than conventional wine.
It still contains alcohol, and alcohol remains the principal health consideration.
According to the NHS guidance on alcohol consumption, there is no completely safe level of drinking, and reducing consumption lowers health risks.
Claims that natural wine prevents hangovers or is automatically easier on the body should therefore be treated with considerable scepticism.
Wine headaches and hangovers involve several factors, including alcohol consumption, hydration and individual sensitivity.
Choosing a natural wine does not make these considerations disappear.
A bottle of natural wine containing 14% alcohol still contains exactly the same amount of alcohol as a conventional wine of the same strength.
Nature has many impressive qualities, but unfortunately it has not yet found a way around that particular calculation!
Is Natural Wine Better for the Environment?
Natural winemaking is frequently associated with environmentally conscious agriculture.
Many producers work organically or biodynamically, encourage biodiversity and aim to reduce unnecessary inputs.
These practices can offer important environmental benefits, particularly when they contribute to healthier soils, reduced reliance on synthetic agricultural chemicals and more diverse vineyard ecosystems.
However, environmental impact also depends on factors such as vineyard location, water consumption, energy use, packaging, transport and agricultural management.
This reminds us that sustainability is often more complicated than a single word on a label!
The most convincing producers are those who can explain their decisions honestly, rather than relying entirely on fashionable terminology.
What About Orange Wine and Pet Nat?
Two styles frequently associated with the natural wine movement are orange wine and Pet Nat.
Both have become increasingly popular, although neither is automatically natural.
Orange Wine
Orange wine is made from white grapes that remain in contact with their skins during fermentation or maceration.
This technique extracts additional colour, tannins and aromatic compounds, creating wines that can range from pale gold to deep amber.
Depending on the grape variety and production method, orange wines may display aromas of dried fruit, citrus peel, herbs, tea and spices.
The additional tannin can also make them particularly interesting at the dinner table.
Skin contact winemaking is an ancient technique, but it has enjoyed renewed attention through the natural wine movement.
Importantly, orange wine describes a production method, not a certification or a guarantee of minimal intervention.
Pet Nat
Pet Nat is short for Pétillant Naturel, a sparkling wine style generally produced using the ancestral method.
The wine is bottled before its initial fermentation has finished, allowing the remaining fermentation to generate carbon dioxide inside the bottle.
The resulting wines can be fresh, lively and sometimes slightly cloudy, particularly when they are bottled without disgorgement.
They are often less formally styled than traditional method sparkling wines, although quality and character vary enormously.
Like orange wine, Pet Nat is not automatically natural simply because of the production technique.
Both styles are worth exploring, but they should be understood for what they are rather than treated as compulsory members of the natural wine club.
How Should You Serve Natural Wine?
Natural wine does not require an entirely different set of drinking rules, but a little attention can make a difference.
Some wines made with minimal sulphur dioxide additions may be more sensitive to heat, oxygen or poor storage conditions.
Keeping bottles away from direct sunlight and excessive temperatures is therefore particularly important.
Fresh natural whites and orange wines often benefit from being served cool, although more textured examples may reveal additional complexity as they warm slightly in the glass.
Lighter natural reds can be particularly enjoyable with a gentle chill.
And if a wine is slightly cloudy, there is no need to panic.
Cloudiness can result from minimal filtration or the presence of natural sediment. It does not necessarily indicate a problem.
For wines containing sediment, pouring carefully may be preferable if you want to leave the deposits in the bottle.
Above all, taste the wine before deciding what it needs.
Some natural wines benefit from a little air. Others are at their most expressive immediately after opening.
There is no universal rule, which is part of the pleasure of discovering them.
Finally: Is Natural Wine Worth Trying?
Absolutely, provided you approach it with curiosity rather than unrealistic expectations.
Natural wine has encouraged some genuinely positive developments within the wine industry.
It has brought attention to small independent producers, traditional grape varieties, forgotten winemaking techniques and the importance of careful vineyard management.
It has also encouraged people to ask more questions about what happens between the vineyard and the bottle.
These are all welcome developments.
But 'natural wine' is not automatically a synonym of 'quality wine'.
For me, the most exciting natural wines are those that combine a clear terroir-driven philosophy with genuine technical ability.
They express their origins, offer character and balance, and provide pleasure without needing an elaborate explanation.
The best examples make you curious about the producer and the place they come from... the less convincing examples sometimes make you curious about whether the bottle was stored correctly!
Both experiences can be educational... although I know which one I would rather pay for.
Discover Natural Wine with Our Natural Wine Discovery Case
If all this has made you curious, the most enjoyable way to understand natural wine is to taste a few different examples.
Reading about spontaneous fermentation and minimal intervention is useful, but comparing different wines in the glass reveals far more about the diversity of the category.
With this in mind, we have created The Natural Wine Discovery Case, a selection of six wines from five countries designed to introduce some of the different expressions of natural and low intervention winemaking.
The case includes an elegant Crémant from Alsace made without added sulphites, an organic Sicilian white, a distinctive orange wine from New Zealand and three contrasting reds from Chile, Portugal and southern Italy.
Rather than concentrating on one particular interpretation of natural wine, the selection explores different approaches to farming, fermentation and winemaking.
Some bottles are immediately approachable. Others invite a little more exploration.
Together, they demonstrate that natural and low intervention wines can offer far more variety than their occasionally eccentric reputation suggests.
It is an opportunity to discover new producers, compare styles and perhaps challenge a few assumptions along the way.
And with six bottles to explore, you can even invite a few friends and turn the experience into an informal tasting.
Just remember that describing every wine as "interesting" is not compulsory.
Explore The Natural Wine Discovery Case and enjoy free nationwide delivery.
Final Thoughts: Natural Wine Without the Hype
Natural wine is neither a miracle nor a marketing invention without substance.
At its best, it represents a thoughtful approach to farming and winemaking, one that encourages producers to respect their grapes and intervene only when necessary.
It can produce wines of remarkable purity, personality and individuality.
It can also produce wines that are unpredictable, unbalanced or simply not particularly enjoyable.
That is why I believe the most sensible approach is to remain open minded without abandoning critical judgement.
Understand the philosophy. Ask questions about the producer. Be curious about unfamiliar styles.
But never feel obliged to admire a wine simply because it is natural.
Ultimately, the most important question is not whether a wine was made with minimal intervention.
It is whether the decisions made by the winemaker have resulted in something worth drinking.
And if the answer is yes, I am considerably more interested in enjoying another glass than debating exactly how natural it is.
