Natural wine has been around for ages. In France, Italy and other European countries, it's the norm. In the US, however, it’s considered the exception but becoming more popular.
When you think about natural or organic wine, it isn’t difficult to assume organic grapes are used in it's production. When you dig further, you find the production method equally as important as the grapes themselves. It isn’t enough to use organic grapes. What matters is how these grapes are treated that affect the quality of the wine. That factor alone differentiates between mass produced, predictable tasting wine and a distinct, pure and flavorful wine.
How To Identify Natural Wine
Natural wine is made:
• in small batches,
• by independent makers,
• on low-yielding vineyards,
• from handpicked, organically grown grapes,
• without added sugars or foreign yeasts,
• without adjustments for acidity,
• without micro-oxygenation or reverse-osmosis.
Pros And Cons of Natural Wine
As with any decision in life, there is always the need to weigh the good and the bad. In regards to natural wine, the pros most certainly outweigh the cons.
Pros: Natural wine is healthier for you, is less expensive, supports the environment through sustainable agriculture and allows you to support independent farmers and producers.
Cons: Natural wine comes with very careful handling, serving and storing instructions to avoid fast spoilage. Being produced in small batches makes them hard to find unlike mass produced wine. Natural wines lack consistency even with bottles made in the same year.
On your next trip, enjoy a glass of natural wine at these selected restaurants:
The Ten Bells, Lower East Side, NYC
http://www.thetenbells.typepad.com
The Tasting Kitchen, Venice Beach, CA
http://www.thetastingkitchen.com
Diner, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
http://www.dinernyc.com
Fix St. James, Sydney, Australia
http://www.fixstjames.com.au
