What are Natural Wines

View of AA Badenhorst Vineyards

Have you ever shopped in a supermarket with your parents, and saw them comparing 2 products. One with an organic sticker on it, and the other without. Your parents make the logical choice of rejecting pesticides, and puts back the product without the organic sticker. However is the decision as logical as it seems? Some may argue it's not, like this well articulated article by Kathleen Wilcox.

What is undeniable, is the increased demand for organic products. It has driven many wineries to change their philosophies, and other farm produce products have seen similar trends. Millenniums with the message of climate change ingrained in them, has adopted an environmentally friendly approach to the farms that have inherited.

So how are natural wines made?

It all starts in the vineyard, where the farmers practice sustainable/organic/bio-dynamic viticulture.
Farmers do not equate to winemakers, as both practice different disciplines. (Winemakers train themselves in the art of Enology). Yet both share the common goal of minimal human intervention in the making of wines.

Certification processes are overseen by an accredited body, such as a state agricultural department or a duly sanctioned private company.

Here are some examples of natural viticulture:

1.) Organic Viticulture
Is grape growing without the use of manufactured fertilizers or pesticides.
In the U.S., vineyards have to follow the chemicals usage guidelines. A vineyards must be free from all prohibited materials for 3 years before they can be certified.

Hence vineyards have swap manure for chemical fertilisers and tractors/goats for herbicides for example.

2.) Biodynamic Viticulture

Started in the earlier 20th century by Ruldolf Steiner,  whose philosophy marries science and spirituality. It is essentially organic viticulture, with the added concept of "Doing the right things, at the right dates". Farmers will look at the alignment of stars, to guide them on the appropriate dates to do the appropriate tasks.

Irrigation which some farmers regard as artificial interference, are not used for biodynamic viticulture. Some famous wineries that adopt this stance are AA Badenhorst and Sadie Family.
They believe that the vines have to work harder, in order to bring out their fullest potentials in the fruits that they produce.

Certification is available through a private organization,

3.) Sustainable Viticulture
Sustainable viticulture has the same measures as organic and biodynamic viticulture. The critical difference is that, it has the added objective of protecting the environment. It acts as the balancing policy between protecting the environment and organic / biodynamic practices. A grey area which it operates in.

For example, a farmer will study the impact of mild herbicides and decide that it might have a lesser impact on the environment than other methods. If the impact is low, the herbicide will be used even though it contradicts the guidelines of organic viticulture.

South African wineries in particular have a high focus on sustainable viticulture, as they sought to maintain the integrity of the land for generations to come. Most South African wineries, if not all has the certified sustainability logo on their bottles. Consumers can use the serial number on the logo, to track when, where and how the bottle of wines have been produced.

South African Sustainability logo

I'm curious, and i would love to try some natural wines. Where can i go in Singapore?

In Singapore, at the forefront of exhibiting organic / biodynamic wines is
Wine RVLT
111 Killiney Road
239550
A wine bar run by Alvin Gho (SEA sommelier of the year 2017), that showcases fun, natural wines that are hard to come by.
Swing by if you have a need to satisfy your curiosity on what natural wines are all about.

If you prefer to drink from the comfort of your home. Why not try some of Stellez Vine South African natural wines at the comfort of your home.
Look under AA Badenhorst or Sadie Family. It will be sure to satisfy your curiosity.

Alternatively, a showcase of natural wines will also be conducted on 29th Jun, 2017 at La Terre.
Join our for more details.

AA Badenhorst

Do drop us some comments, and share with us your experience on natural wines.


Gerard Zhang
CSW, WSET