![]() ![]() Those “familiar” aromas in the glass are sour cherry layered with floral musk and a subtle spice prickle on the finish. This enfant terrible of a Napa Valley winery turns out a perfumed red wine made of Mourvèdre grapes from several different vineyards. A white with bite.ĭirty & Rowdy California Familiar Mourvèdre 2014 Californians are doing the natural thing, too. This Chenin Blanc from the Conca de Barberà region of Catalonia in Spain is exotic and aromatic, earthy and creamy, with a lip-smacking tartness. Juicy and succulent.Ĭeller Escoda-Sanahuja Els Bassots 2013 Justin Chearno, the wine consultant at The Four Horsemen, is loving the wines from Joan Ramón Escoda and Carmen Sanahuja these days. You’ve probably had one without knowing it.”Ĭascina Degli Ulivi Semplicemente Vino Bianco Bellotti 2014 From a thriving biodynamic farm populated by cows, goats, and geese in the picturesque commune of Gavi in Piedmont, Italy, this simple white wine is clean and crisp yet complex, full of luscious white fruits, a gentle saline quality, and a hint of nuttiness. Or they can taste just like conventional wines. As in: earthy, floral, redolent of mushrooms. But just how does it taste? “Natural wines can be funky,” says Caleb Ganzer, head sommelier at La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, the New York outpost of a Paris bar. They’re given to talking about energy: the vigor of the vineyard, the vitality of the wine. For others, it means intervening as little as possible in the cellar, including avoiding commercial yeasts, additives, and filtering agents.ĭoctrinal differences aside, natural winemakers share a vision. For some, it means farming strictly organically and adding nothing to the wine at all. Unlike organics and biodynamics, which are clearly defined and certifiable methods, the term natural is harder to explain. Only the most hard-core natural winemakers forgo it altogether. Sulfur dioxide, for one, is a common preservative, added to keep wine fresh. Conventional winemakers argue that certain additives are necessary to correct flaws in wine or prevent them from developing in the bottle. It may raise eyebrows, but winemakers who go to such lengths in the vineyard often end up with happier, healthier grapes, which translates into more vibrant, expressive wines.įor those of us reared on organic, unprocessed foods, this sort of winemaking sounds sensible. Some of the more esoteric practices include pruning and harvesting according to lunar cycles and compost preparations that mix local cow manure with medicinal herbs like yarrow blossoms and stinging nettle. Much of biodynamics boils down to thoughtful agriculture––biodiversity in the vineyard, crop rotation, composting. ![]() “The soil is much more alive, the vines stronger. “The first thing you notice when you start farming biodynamically is the vineyard transformation,” says Thiébault Huber, a winemaker in the Burgundy region of France. Many vintners spray their grapes not only to kill pests and disease, but as a routine preventative measure even when nothing at all is wrong with them. What’s more, pesticides and herbicides have become commonplace in the vineyard. Modern winemaking relies on ingredients like commercial yeasts and enzymes to ferment the wine, as well as additives to deepen its color, enrich its texture, boost its acidity, and sweeten its taste. The majority of wines lining your local liquor store shelf were probably made with more than just grapes. Additives? It’s true: To fully appreciate the art of making wine naturally, one must understand how wines are made conventionally. In other words: no chemicals on the grapes and as few additives as possible in the bottle. The philosophy behind this grassroots winemaking movement is to let Mother Nature do most of the work in the vineyard and to intervene as little as possible in the cellar. Tapping into their allure requires an open mind and a curious palate. Nowadays, natural wines are all the rage in such culinary capitals as Paris, London, Tokyo, and New York. Composting instead of using pesticides? Harvesting grapes according to the moon’s rhythms? Fermenting with native yeasts? Such practices were the domain of eccentrics and hippies. Organic, biodynamic, and natural wines were once on the fringe of the wine world. ![]()
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