Natural Vs Conventional Wines: Understanding the Differences

Natural wine is gaining popularity as more people seek sustainable and chemical-free products. But what exactly is it, and how does it differ from conventional wines? An exceptionally fantastic fact about Natural Vs Conventional Wines.

The natural wine movement started in 1960s France when four winemakers decided to return to their ancestors’ methods and make wine the old-fashioned way, sans pesticides. Since then, it’s grown into a worldwide movement. The grapes used in regular wine are often sprayed with chemical herbicides and pesticides to reduce costs, increase each vine’s yield, and prevent diseases. These sprays, such as glyphosate (the cancer-causing herbicide found in Monsanto’s Roundup), can end up in the soil and water supply. They also can contaminate organic vineyards, which is why many organic wines contain low levels of the herbicide glyphosate because they’re grown next to conventional vineyards.

Natural winemakers skip these chemicals and instead focus on ensuring the quality of their products. They may harvest their grapes manually rather than using machinery, use only native or wild yeast to ferment the wine, and don’t add any sulfites before bottling (adding sulfites is one of the reasons regular wines can cause hangovers).

Another big difference between natural and conventional wines is the lack of additives allowed during production. Traditional wines can use up to 100 different ingredients, including chemicals, to correct the chemistry, direct fermentation, and ensure that the wine stays fresh after it’s been bottled. In contrast, natural wine only has a maximum of 60 FDA-permitted additives.

Finally, natural wines are usually lighter in body and less acidic than their conventional counterparts. This is partly because they’re unfiltered, which gives them a cloudy appearance and a unique texture. Likewise, they’re likely to have more “funk” or “barnyard” flavors and more minerality and terroir because the winemakers aren’t trying to mask any flaws in the fruit or the climate where the grapes were grown.

These differences can be intimidating to consumers dipping their toes into natural wine for the first time. However, these wines are gaining traction at restaurants and bars through wine clubs and subscription services. So, it’s only a matter of time before natural wine becomes more mainstream, which is excellent news for consumers who want to ensure their glass of vino doesn’t contain toxic residues. So, the next time you’re shopping for a bottle of wine, watch for these bottles. You never know. You might find the best wine of your life!

Read Also: The Rise Of Organic Wines