Natural Wines
One of the most exciting trends in wine right now is Natural Wines. You may have heard of them, or you may not have. But either way, we're going to tell you what they are, and why they're so great!
How is Natural Wine Made?
Natural Wine is made with minimal intervention—which means that when they're being made, the winemakers don't add anything to them except for water and yeast. They also don't use any sulphites, which are common additives in wine that help preserve it. The result is a wine that contains fewer chemicals and preservatives than other wines on the market today.
The health benefits of drinking natural wine are well-documented: studies show that sulphites can cause headaches and migraines, as well as allergic reactions in some people. But beyond that, natural wines offer environmental benefits as well: because there are fewer chemicals involved in their production process (no pesticides or herbicides), natural wines are much better for the environment than traditional ones.
What are the types of Natural Wine?
Cabernet franc: These wines are made more conventionally, blended with cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Natural winemakers are increasingly combining these grapes with native yeast to make a natural wine that is quite light, with peppery characteristics.
Glou-glou: French for “Glug-Glug” or alternatively as “smashable” because it is such an easy-drinking wine. Glou-glou is described as a light-bodied red and fresh-flavoured. This wine is aged only a little or not at all before being sold.
Orange wine: Orange wine is known for its striking colour and is produced by leaving the skins of white wine grapes to ferment with the juice instead of removing them. Though there is no official designation for orange wine, this style of winemaking produces a unique flavour.
Pet Nat: Short for pétillant Naturel, this type of wine is made using an old technique where winemakers bottle the wine before fermentation completes. This causes a degree of natural carbonation to build up inside the bottle that leads to light, fizzy characteristics that many find refreshing and fruity.
What is the difference between Natural Wine and Organic Wine?
The difference between natural wine and organic wine is that one is made with minimal intervention, while the other is made with organically grown grapes. If you are looking for a label that indicates how little human intervention was involved in creating your wine, then natural wine is for you. If you want to know that the grapes were grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, then organic wine is what you're after.
Some natural wines are not necessarily organic, so it's important to understand the difference between them before buying a bottle. So how do you find these gems? Luckily for you, we stock a large selection of Natural Wine in Australia. Shop our collection of Orange wine and Pet Nat Wine.
