Natural wine, renowned for its sustainability and minimal processing, is becoming increasingly sought after in the U.S., despite an overall decline in wine consumption since 2015. Interestingly, while natural and other sustainable wines accounted for less than 1% of 2021’s sales, their demand outstripped the rate of growth seen in the wine industry at large.
The process of creating natural wine is akin to time-travel, returning to the ancient ways of winemaking. The grapes are organically grown, handpicked, and left unsprayed by herbicides or pesticides. Taken straight from the vine, these grapes are then crushed, often by foot in the same manner the Romans of antiquity practiced, and then left to ferment with no added water, yeast or other additives. The different methods pursued by various natural winemakers result in unique products, some adding sulphites as preservative while others opt for cloudier, sediment-rich wines.
The end result of natural winemaking is a wine characterized by an earthy, savoury flavour profile, standing distinct from the predictable taste of commercial wines. John Keller, the owner and winemaker at Neu Cellars in Northern Michigan, remarks, “The first time you taste it, you can tell it’s alive.”
However, natural wines face challenges in the way of their growth. While “organic” wines are backed by government certification, “natural” lacks a universally accepted definition in the U.S. This, compounded with the fact that most natural wines are not labeled ‘natural,’ make them a rare find.
“Natural just sounds good, but conventional wine is pretty natural too,” opines Anita Oberholster, a professor at the University of California, Davis. “If the idea of natural wine is going to grow, we should do research on it and define it.”
Keller was once an employee in a big Californian winemaking firm, but the extensive chemical manipulation in conventional wine production led him to establish Neu Cellars with his father in 2019 to focus on natural winemaking. Today, they produce 3,000 bottles annually. Despite the difficulties and the fear associated with natural winemaking, Keller says, “It’s how life happens. You can’t really control it. You just have to give it the best conditions for the best outcome you can get.”
Many in the industry, along with consumers, are advocating for a standardization of natural wine similar to the one in France. Yet, many winemakers fear the costs and restrictions by the said standards, despite the belief that it could result in more transparent labels, helping customers identify wines made without additives.
Despite the debates and concerns, natural winemaking remains an attractive tradition to some and a growing trend to others. Pax Mahle, the proprietor of Pax Wine Cellars in California, is one such devotee to the art, even going so far as to crush his grapes by foot. Yet, he strongly believes in retaining the winemaker’s freedom. To him, “the natural wine movement was never about absolutes. It’s about making good wine.”
