Natural Wines are part of a selection of organic wines whose demand on the market has grown out of all proportion in recent years thanks to the increasing attention of consumers in the search for organic wines without the addition of sulphites or other chemical agents.
Natural wines, together with biodynamic and organic wines, are the 3 macro categories of organic wines that differ from the others in that they are regulated by the European Regulation 203/2012 that determines the use of specific oenological products and processes authorized to be branded and distributed as wines without chemical substances usually used to correct the maturation of wine.
Among the most important and renowned distributors of natural wines, biodynamic wines and organic wines are Triple "A" or Movimento Agricoltori, Artigiane e Artisti, whose manifesto fights the standardization of wine production.
Natural Wines are made without the addition of any chemical products, manipulations or additions by man from the cultivation of grapes to the bottling.
The vineyards, all with low yields, are treated exclusively with natural products and in very low quantities, such as sulphur and copper.
Fermentation and aging take place through the use of indigenous yeasts, naturally present in the grapes, avoiding the use of selected yeasts.
Sulphites, generally, are not added to those that develop naturally from the fermentation of the grapes but, in case of particularly deficient vintages, the regulations allow a minimum use that includes 30 mg/l for red and rosé wines and 50 mg/l for white wines (1/4 of the limit provided for by law).
Biodynamic wines are part of the macrocategory of natural wines, they are not regulated by law but by the Demeter association.
The production processes of biodynamic wine, in addition to reducing the use of chemicals and machinery, is based on the respect of the natural course, moon phases, its resources and the use of biodynamic preparations (strictly natural compost) in certain phases of the year.
The result of biodynamic agriculture will be naturally healthy, high quality and able to defend itself against pests.
Also for biodynamic wines sulphites are not zeroed but limited to 70 mg/l for red and rosé wines and 90 mg/l for white wines.
While organic wines are part of the macrocategory of natural wines and can bear the BIO label only if they comply with the rules of European Regulation 203/2012:
- they use only grapes grown with organic farming methods, therefore without synthetic chemical substances and GMOs.
- the vinification is carried out only oenological products and processes authorized by the European Regulation 203/20012, without chemical substances of wine correction.
- Sulphites must strictly fall within the limits allowed by the Regulation, i.e. 100 mg/l for red and rosé wines and 150 mg/l for white wines.
