Natural wines are authentic expressions of the territory, produced with respect for rural traditions and the rhythms of nature. Above all, they are the result of traditional and sustainable cultivation methods, often organic or biodynamic, based on the rejection of synthetic chemical products such as pesticides or herbicides, and increasingly focused on the enhancement of ancient agronomic practices, native vines, the most traditional forms of farming and the oldest vineyards. Vinification is carried out without invasive or artificial procedures, favouring spontaneous fermentation without the addition of yeasts or other additives and keeping the quantity of sulphites low. This gives rise to very typical and characteristic expressions , straightforward and genuine, at times daring and disorienting, at other times simpler and more immediate, but always capable of offering great emotions.
Natural wines are authentic expressions of the territory, produced with respect for rural traditions and the rhythms of nature. Above all, they are the result of traditional and sustainable cultivation methods, often organic or biodynamic, based on the rejection of synthetic chemical products such as pesticides or herbicides, and increasingly focused on the enhancement of ancient agronomic practices, native vines, the most traditional forms of farming and the oldest vineyards. Vinification is carried out without invasive or artificial procedures, favouring spontaneous fermentation without the addition of yeasts or other additives and keeping the quantity of sulphites low. This gives rise to very typical and characteristic expressions , straightforward and genuine, at times daring and disorienting, at other times simpler and more immediate, but always capable of offering great emotions.
In recent years, the growing awareness of consumers all over the world about the quality of wine production and the progressive and proud awareness of many small wine growers has led to a rediscovery of ancient traditions that has rewarded small territorial productions, identified in common parlance with the lapidary but inaccurate definition of "natural wine". Associations, fairs and proclamations have sprung up around this definition, attracting ever-wider niches of wine lovers and enthusiasts, united by the search for the authentic and genuine flavour of that perfect combination of tradition, territory and culture well expressed in the French term "terroir".
Initially created as a redeeming force against large-scale industrial production, accused of standardising the taste and personality of products, this trend, which unites small winemakers with an ever-widening public, has become a rapidly growing phenomenon. Today, many wineries, both new and historic, are engaged in the production of artisanal-type wine, increasingly perceived as 'second nature', such as Cantina Gravner and Radikon in Collio, La Stoppa in Emilia, Dettori in Sardinia and many others in Italy and around the world. But what are the criteria for defining a production with these terms?
To date, there is no official certification that establishes which productions fall within this typology, defined as 'natural' in common language. Events of national importance such as Live Wine, Vinnatur, Wine Revolution and Back to the Wine have helped to disseminate and communicate it, proposing certain criteria for definition each time. Distribution companies, brands, participation in trade fairs and producer associations are important instruments of distinction, but what is most relevant and discriminating is a production approach that, although declined in different ways, has a very precise physiognomy.
Artisanal wine production made ''the old-fashioned way" stems from a production approach closely linked to ancient farming traditions and far removed from industrial logic. The agronomic and enological practices used must be as natural as possible, with human intervention limited to the essential and without the use of substances considered 'artificial', i.e. born from chemical synthesis. Some of the criteria followed by many small-scale winemakers can help to define and clarify the genesis of an artisanal wine production:
Vineyard practices:
- organic, biodynamic or integrated pest management regime
- propensity to use indigenous vines
- maintenance of traditional training systems
- low yields per hectare
- possible preservation of the oldest and least productive vines quality-wise
- rejection of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and any other synthetic chemical
substance
- significant reduction in the amount of copper and sulphur used for pesticide
treatments, promoting environmental balance and biodiversity through green
manure, organic and homeopathic preparations
- rejection of irrigation and use of fertilisers only in exceptional cases, using only
organic substances
- strictly manual harvesting
Cellar practices:
- spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, without inoculation of selected
yeasts
- fermentation at room temperature, without temperature control
- frequent use of more or less long maceration on the skins, even for white wines
- rejection of corrective and invasive practices such as micro-oxygenation and reverse
osmosis
- refusal or significant reduction in the amount of sulphites to be used in winemaking
and bottling
- rejection of enological additives or other enzymes
- static decanting, simple racking or possibly very light filtration instead of clarification,
invasive filtration or chemical stabilisation
- use of only endogenous sugars for re-fermentation in the bottle of sparkling wines
- possible use of traditional cement tanks for maturation or old or used wooden barrels
This artisanal production is the fruit of small-scale winemakers who have chosen to cultivate their vineyards without resorting to the conveniences offered by modern chemistry and to limit human intervention in the cellar, giving up full control of the vinification process to rely on time and nature. The intention of many of these wine-makers is to return to the traditions of the land in order to continue producing as they used to at the time.
The natural consequence of this programmatic intent is that the productions are small and limited, marked by a strongly organoleptic territorial and identity profile. The particular soil and climate characteristics of the area, the personality of the vines used and the work of man combine to define nectars with a high taste-olfactory impact in which, very often, it is easy to recognise the flavours of the past.
At times disorienting and controversial, these labels should not be judged according to the standards of harmony of modern enology, because even small defects can contribute to that rustic and rural imprint that makes them unique and inimitable. Some of these expressions can be described as 'extreme', i.e. only recommended for connoisseurs, while others are more accessible and appreciated by neophytes and the curious. Everyone has their own favourite!
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