There’s something deeply satisfying about a wine that speaks for itself – ‘au naturel’, no frills, just pure expression. Natural wine is just that: a rebellious cousin in the world of viticulture, wild and unpredictable yet deeply rooted in tradition. It’s a celebration of what happens when winemakers let nature take the lead. But aren’t all wines ‘natural’?

While organic and natural wines are often classed together, they’re not quite the same… Natural wine goes beyond organic farming.

What is Natural Wine?

It’s a fair question. After all, wine comes from grapes, so why wouldn’t it be natural?

Modern winemaking often involves a range of additives, from commercial yeasts to stabilisers to isinglass, sulfites and even colouring agents. Natural wine, on the other hand, strips all of that away. At its core, it’s wine made with minimal intervention: organically or biodynamically farmed grapes, wild fermentation (using native yeasts) and little to no added sulfites – only the absolute necessary is added. The goal? To let the wine reflect its origin.

Organic Wine vs. Natural Wine

While organic and natural wines are often classed together, they’re not quite the same. Organic wine refers to wine made from organically grown grapes, meaning no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilisers are used in the vineyard. However, organic wines can still undergo modern winemaking processes, including the addition of sulfites and commercial yeasts.

Natural wine goes beyond organic farming. It adheres to the ‘nothing added, nothing taken away’ philosophy, meaning no additives, minimal sulfites (if any) and spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. While all natural wines are organic by default, not all organic wines are natural. There are a few steps to getting it just right…

How It’s Made

Winemakers who follow natural methods work with nature rather than against it. Here are some of the practices involved in making natural wine.

• Organic & Biodynamic Farming – Grapes are grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers. Biodynamic farming goes a step further, following a holistic, ecological and sustainable approach.
• Native Yeast Fermentation – Instead of introducing lab-grown yeasts to control fermentation, natural winemakers let the wild yeasts from the grape skins do the work. This results in more complex, unpredictable flavours.
• Minimal Sulfites – While conventional wines use sulfites as a preservative, natural wine either forgoes them entirely or use only tiny amounts.
• No Filtration or Fining – This means the wines may appear cloudy or have sediment, but this lack of processing preserves texture, aromatics and character.

Styles of Natural Wine

Natural wine isn’t a single style – it’s a broad category that encompasses different expressions. These are some of the most notable styles of natural wines…

• Orange Wine – Made from white grapes that ferment with their skins, giving the wine a deep amber hue and textured tannins.
• Pet-Nat (Pétillant Naturel) – A lightly sparkling wine made using an ancient method where fermentation finishes in the bottle, creating soft, natural bubbles.
• Co-fermented Wines – An innovative approach where grape juice ferments alongside juices from other fruits like apples or cherries, resulting in unique flavour profiles.

Read all about orange wine and why it should be in your collection. Want more? Discover the uncorked truth – why all wine isn’t vegan.