WTF is natural wine?

Methods of wine making date back thousands of years. The earliest we (the internet) know of is in Armenia c.4100 BC, where the site contained a wine press, fermentation vats, jars, and cups. Sounds appealing, and despite centuries of evolving production methods and the age of mass-production, we've always drunk organic wine in one form or another.

But why is 'organic' a buzz word in the 21st Century – isn't this (very) old news? A survey by the Organic Trade Association found that 52% of organic shoppers are millennials, a statistic that will no doubt irritate sceptics, who are clearly able to see value in the less-is-more approach: yes, in this instance less costs more, but it also takes a lot more care and consideration to get it to your table.

Natural wines, despite all wines at one time being ‘natural’, reflect a demand for products that are clearly traceable, free from chemical and technological intervention. It’s something that’s slowly becoming more readily available in Manchester, but the real question is: why should we care?

“Natural wine producers are small independent businesses, often family-run like ours," says Katy Saide of Trove, a cafe that has championed organic food since it opened in Levenshulme in 2011. "They work with the land and the biodiversity, they don't use pesticides and they don't add any additives to their wines. It is a traditional method, similar to the way in which we make our bread. This sits well with us and makes natural wines a more desirable option.”

“Some natural wines have a more fermented taste, a bit like cider," Katy adds. "Others don't taste much different to commercial wines. Personally I like orange wine. This isn't made from oranges but green grapes left to macerate and ferment with their skins, pips and possibly the stems. It can be a short maceration or a long one.”

London and Leeds are ahead of us on this one, but the likes of Trove, Where the Light Gets In, Salut, North Tea Power and pop-up venture Love + Labour have been backing these small, independent vineyards. “The wine making process requires skill and an understanding of the chemistry that goes into turning grapes into wine," explains Katie Scott, one half of Love + Labour. "Traditionally this method was not altered with chemicals and sulphites. This requires a different skill and often the use of machines and multiple employers making this a much less personal process, and the winemaker will not be able to taste or control all of their wine. Great quality wine can be made with this process of course. However, natural wine brings something different to the table." 

Natural wines aren’t necessarily new to us, and there are countless old world wineries that have been making wine in this way for a long time. According to Katie, “many French wine makers still use natural methods. They just might not shout about it, meaning you have probably already drunk more natural wine than you realise.”

“For us natural wine is more ethically made, and monitored, chances are the winemaker is there tasting along the way and monitoring the fermentation to keep the wine to standard they are proud of. We try to pair these natural wines with organic cheeses and meats as the flavours in these natural products compliment and attract each other perfectly. The added benefit of low alcohol in most natural wines means we can enjoy more and try many different types of wine!”

There’s a certain amount of 'buying into' the philosophy behind natural wines, but the proof is in the pinot, and you’ve got to go out and try these wines to get a feel for what’s possible using traditional production methods.