Last week, a friend of mine reached out to me asking: ”Ok here’s the question that I’m sure hundreds have asked. When I go to the boutique-y liquor store a few blocks away, I never know if something’s natural wine or not…”
Natural wine can feel mysterious, especially when you’re first getting into it. Navigating a wine shop is already overwhelming, coupled with “is this natural” adds to the intimidation. In order to understand how to approach shopping for natural wine, we have to start first with understanding the differences between conventional and natural wine.
One of the murkiest parts of shopping for natural wine is that there is no real regulation on what “natural” even means. It is a term that means many things. A definition created by those in the know to understand what their peers were talking about using as few words as possible. So technically, anyone can call their wine natural.
The difference between conventional and natural wine lies in the processes used to grow, harvest and ferment the wine. In a nutshell, natural wine is produced using 3 ingredients: organic grapes, native yeast and, occasionally, tiny amounts of sulfites are added. Nothing else is removed (no filtering) and nothing else is added (no inoculated yeast, tannins, acids etc).
I should also add here that just because a wine is organic, doesn’t mean it’s natural. Organically farmed grapes can also be processed into conventional wine. So: all natural wines are organic but not all organic wines are natural.
Okay, so now that we have a little context, let’s imagine you’ve entered a bottle shop. Everything looks hip and cool, like maybe its natural wine but you’re still unsure. Here are some tips:
Start by asking if they have a natural wine selection. If they do carry natural wine they’ll know what you’re talking about and point you in the right direction.
If they are unsure/ask what you mean you could ask for “minimal intervention wines” (it means the same as natural wine).
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Shop keepers are meant to help and are probably excited to give you some knowledge.
Let them know if you’re looking for a specific style or varietal of wine, this will help guide you to the wines you like.
In more advanced natural wine scenarios, I always recommend folks get familiar with distributors/importers and producers.
There are some wine distributors that only work with natural producers and if you see their names printed on the back, it’s a good indicator that it’s natural.
Sometimes, checking to see if the wine is cloudy or has sediment is also a good indicator. This means it’s unfiltered and most likely natural—but with some wines, it’s hard to see sediment if the bottle is very dark.
Get to know producers you like or have heard about! Check out their website and see if you can find retail locations or where they are distributed. If you follow one wine to a shop, chances are there will be many others like them!
After a couple of trip and a little research, you’ll start to feel more confident. You’ll recognize labels or producers. You’ll notice the tiny Jenny & Francois sticker on the back of a bottle. You’ll remember which wines you loved and which ones you want to try. You’ll even find a shop close to your house that carries the best natural wine selection and make it your weekly stop on Friday afternoon. Your journey is just beginning!
xo & as always, comments are open for your questions or feedback!