What’s the difference between regular wine and natural wines?

It has been argued that natural wine has a better taste than regular wine by its very nature. It contains fewer or no additives which impact its flavour and often means that you’ll be getting the best of the vineyard in your bottle. Of course, for a natural fruit that hasn’t been influenced in any way by chemicals is going to produce a fuller flavour than any product that has been engineered and preserved. Growing such grapes without the use of chemicals is a skill in itself, requiring a farmer who understands what it takes to produce the best grapes.

Health

This biggest benefit natural wine will have is on your health. Regular wine contains vineyard chemicals (pesticides) to keep the bugs at bay. Whist many say that these won’t cause harm in small qualities, they certainly won’t do any good for you. Unfortunately, grapes can’t be washed prior to their use due to the machines that often damage the grape skins during harvesting so this means the pesticides used will be present in the final product.  

Later in the winemaking process, preservatives (sulphites) are added to help keep the wine last longer due to its antibacterial properties. Unknowingly, some drinkers can be allergic or sensitive to these sulphites which means a hangover would be much more significant for them. Sulphites are measured in ‘parts per million’ (PPM) and most 750ml bottles of regular wine will contain up to 250ppm, leaving the drinker headachy the next day.

Cost

Although the cost of a natural bottle of wine will be higher, they are generally better value for money due to getting more of the vineyard in your  The mark up of natural wine is often governed by the appellation system, which is said to be an indicator of the quality of its vineyard. However, many natural winemakers will operate outside this system and are still outstanding value.  

Environment

Natural wine is a product of sustainable agriculture, not using pesticides to deter wildlife in the area. It is important to bear in mind that in order to create an organic product the land must be chemical free for a number of years prior in order to qualify. Therefore it requires a very committed farmer to create an organic wine, where a where the vineyard can be susceptible to environmental conditions such as weather changes and pests.