What Is Natural Wine?
Natural wine is wine produced with minimal intervention in both the vineyard and the cellar. Grapes are farmed organically or biodynamically—without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers—and fermented using native yeasts, the wild microorganisms naturally present on grape skins and in the winery environment. Winemakers add little to no sulfur dioxide, skip fining and heavy filtration, and avoid the dozens of additives permitted in conventional winemaking.
No single legal definition of natural wine exists worldwide. Unlike "organic" or "biodynamic," which carry official certifications from bodies such as the USDA, the EU, or Demeter International, natural wine remains defined by practice and philosophy rather than regulation. France introduced the Vin Méthode Nature charter in 2020, requiring certified organic grapes, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no additives during vinification, and total sulfites below 30 mg/L. Outside France, the term relies on producer transparency and community trust.
At its core, natural wine asks a straightforward question: what happens when a winemaker steps back and allows grapes to become wine with as little manipulation as possible? The answer is wine that expresses grape variety, terroir, and vintage without technological standardization—wine shaped by soil, climate, and microbiology rather than laboratory inputs.
A Brief History of Natural Wine
The roots of natural wine reach back further than most people assume. All wine was, in a sense, "natural" before the industrialization of agriculture and winemaking in the twentieth century. However, the modern natural wine movement traces its intellectual origins to a specific time and place: mid-century Beaujolais, France.
Jules Chauvet and the Beaujolais Origins
Jules Chauvet (1907–1989), a négociant, winemaker, and trained chemist from Villié-Morgon, is widely considered the intellectual father of natural winemaking. Chauvet conducted pioneering research on native yeast fermentation, carbonic maceration, and the effects of sulfur dioxide on wine. His work demonstrated that carefully handled grapes could ferment successfully without added sulfites and that native yeast populations produced wines with greater complexity and site-specificity than commercial strains.
Chauvet's ideas influenced a circle of Beaujolais vignerons who began putting his research into practice during the 1980s. Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, and Jean-Paul Thévenet—sometimes called the "Gang of Four"—became early ambassadors of low-intervention winemaking in the Morgon appellation. They demonstrated that serious, age-worthy wine could be produced without the safety net of heavy sulfuring and technological manipulation.
From France to the World
Through the 1990s and 2000s, the movement expanded beyond Beaujolais into the Loire Valley, Jura, Languedoc, and the Rhône. Winemakers such as Pierre Overnoy in Arbois, Thierry Puzelat in Touraine, and Catherine and Pierre Breton in Bourgueil became reference points. The emergence of natural wine bars in Paris—most notably Le Verre Volé and Le Baratin—gave the movement a commercial home and cultural identity.
Italy developed its own parallel trajectory. Producers like Stanko Radikon and Josko Gravner in Friuli Venezia Giulia revived extended skin-contact maceration for white grapes, giving rise to what is now called orange wine. In Piedmont, producers such as Bartolo Mascarello had long championed traditional methods. A new generation across Emilia-Romagna, Sicily, Campania, and Lazio pushed Italian natural wine into international recognition. Spain, Austria, Georgia, Australia, and the United States followed, each contributing distinct regional expressions and traditions.
Today, natural wine is produced on every winemaking continent. Dedicated festivals such as RAW WINE, La Dive Bouteille, and VinNatur gather hundreds of producers annually. Natural wine shops, bars, and restaurants have become fixtures in cities from Tokyo to Brooklyn, Melbourne to Copenhagen.
How Natural Wine Is Made
Natural winemaking is defined by restraint: doing less, not more. The process can be divided into two phases—what happens in the vineyard and what happens in the cellar.
In the Vineyard
The foundation of natural wine is healthy, clean fruit grown without synthetic chemicals. Most natural wine producers farm organically or biodynamically, even when they choose not to pursue formal certification. Key practices include:
Soil health. Natural wine producers prioritize living soils. They avoid synthetic fertilizers and instead build fertility through cover crops, composting, and in some cases biodynamic preparations. Healthy, biologically active soils produce vines with deeper root systems and more complex nutrient uptake, which contributes directly to the character of the finished wine.
Pest and disease management. Without synthetic fungicides and insecticides, producers rely on biodiversity, canopy management, and targeted applications of copper and sulfur (both permitted in organic farming). Some use herbal teas and plant-based preparations drawn from biodynamic practice.
Hand harvesting. Nearly all natural wine is made from hand-picked grapes. Manual selection allows pickers to exclude damaged or unripe clusters at the source—critical when winemaking will proceed without corrective additives in the cellar.
Yield management. Many natural wine producers work with lower yields than their conventional neighbors. Fewer clusters per vine can concentrate flavors and produce fruit that ferments cleanly with native yeasts.
In the Cellar
Once grapes arrive at the winery, the natural winemaker's role shifts to observation and stewardship rather than control.
Native yeast fermentation. Instead of inoculating with commercial laboratory strains selected for predictability and specific flavor contributions, natural winemakers allow fermentation to start spontaneously. The indigenous yeasts present on grape skins and resident in the cellar environment drive the process. These populations are diverse and site-specific, which is one reason natural wines from different producers and vineyards can taste so distinct from one another.
No additives. Conventional winemaking permits over 50 additives and processing aids in the EU and a similar number under U.S. TTB regulations. These include commercial yeasts, yeast nutrients, acidifying or de-acidifying agents, tannin powder, gum arabic, Mega Purple (a grape concentrate used for color and sweetness), enzymes, and various fining agents. Natural winemakers avoid all of these.
Minimal or no sulfur dioxide. Sulfites act as both preservative and antioxidant in wine. Conventional wines may contain up to 350 mg/L of total SO₂. Natural wines are typically bottled with total sulfites under 30 mg/L, and many are bottled with no added sulfur at all (often labeled "sans soufre ajouté" or "no added sulfites"). Some winemakers add a very small dose at bottling—typically 10–20 mg/L—for stability during shipping and storage.
No or minimal fining and filtration. Fining agents such as egg white, casein, isinglass (fish bladder), gelatin, or bentonite are used in conventional winemaking to clarify wine and remove proteins or unwanted compounds. Filtration passes wine through membranes to strip out yeast cells and bacteria. Natural winemakers generally skip both processes, allowing wines to settle and clarify by gravity over time. This is why many natural wines appear slightly hazy or develop harmless sediment in the bottle—and why most natural wines are also vegan.
Traditional vessels. While stainless steel tanks are common, many natural winemakers also work with neutral oak barrels, concrete eggs, clay amphorae (qvevri in Georgian tradition), or chestnut casks. The choice of vessel shapes texture, micro-oxygenation, and temperature behavior during fermentation and aging.
Natural Wine vs. Organic Wine vs. Biodynamic Wine
These three terms are frequently confused but describe different things. Understanding the distinctions helps navigate labels and make informed choices.
Organic wine is defined by farming certification. In the U.S., USDA-certified organic wine must be made from organically grown grapes with no added sulfites. In the EU, organic certification allows limited sulfite additions and restricts certain cellar practices but does not require native yeast fermentation or prohibit all additives. Organic certification addresses the vineyard primarily; it does not guarantee minimal intervention in the cellar.
Biodynamic wine follows a holistic agricultural framework developed by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s. Certified by organizations like Demeter International, biodynamic farming goes beyond organic requirements to include specific preparations (such as horn silica and yarrow compost), attention to lunar and planetary cycles for planting and harvesting, and treatment of the vineyard as a self-sustaining organism. Biodynamic wine production often overlaps significantly with natural winemaking philosophy, though certified biodynamic wines may still use some additives permitted under Demeter rules.
Natural wine encompasses both farming and cellar practices. It nearly always starts with organic or biodynamic grapes but goes further by requiring minimal cellar intervention: native yeast, no additives, little or no sulfur, and no fining or filtration. Because there is no universal certification, the category relies on producer transparency and trust.
In practice, the three categories overlap considerably. Every natural wine is made from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes, but not every organic or biodynamic wine is made with natural winemaking methods. A certified organic wine could still be fermented with commercial yeasts, acidified, fined with egg whites, and sterile-filtered—processes that would disqualify it as natural wine.
Types and Styles of Natural Wine
Natural wine spans every style, grape, and color category. The movement is not limited to a single taste profile.
Red Natural Wine
Red natural wine ranges from featherweight, chillable bottlings meant for immediate drinking to structured, tannic wines with years of aging potential. Light-bodied reds from Beaujolais (Gamay), the Loire (Cabernet Franc, Grolleau), and Italy (Nerello Mascalese from Etna, Schiava from Alto Adige, Pelaverga from Piedmont) are among the most popular entry points. Medium- and full-bodied reds from regions like Emilia-Romagna (Lambrusco, Barbera), Piedmont (Nebbiolo, Freisa), the Rhône (Syrah, Grenache), and Cahors (Malbec) demonstrate that natural winemaking is compatible with power and complexity.
White Natural Wine
White natural wine can be crisp and mineral-driven or rich and textured, depending on grape variety, terroir, and winemaking choices. Whites from the Loire (Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne), Alsace (Riesling, Pinot Gris), Austria (Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling), and Italy (Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Ribolla Gialla) show the range. Many natural whites undergo partial or full spontaneous malolactic conversion, which can add body and roundness. Some see brief skin contact, blurring the line with orange wine.
Orange Wine
Orange wine—also called skin-contact white wine or amber wine—is made by fermenting white grapes with their skins, seeds, and sometimes stems for extended periods, from a few days to several months. This technique, ancient in origin and central to Georgian qvevri winemaking, was revived in modern form by producers like Gravner and Radikon in northeastern Italy during the late 1990s. Orange wines typically have deeper color (gold, amber, copper), more tannic structure, and savory, textural complexity. They pair exceptionally well with food and have become one of the most recognizable categories within natural wine.
Rosé Wine
Natural rosé is produced by brief skin contact with red grapes, direct pressing, or saignée (bleeding off juice from a red wine fermentation). Natural rosés tend to show more color and texture than their industrial counterparts because they are not adjusted with additives or stripped by aggressive filtration. Regions like Provence, the Loire, Emilia-Romagna, and Abruzzo produce distinctive natural rosés.
Sparkling Natural Wine and Pétillant Naturel
Sparkling natural wine is one of the fastest-growing segments of the natural wine market. The most emblematic style is pétillant naturel (pét-nat), produced using the méthode ancestrale: wine is bottled before primary fermentation is complete, and the remaining sugars ferment inside the sealed bottle, creating natural carbonation. The result is typically a gently fizzy wine, sometimes with a touch of residual sweetness and fine lees sediment. Pét-nats are made from virtually every grape variety and in every color. Traditional-method sparkling wines (méthode champenoise) made with natural principles also exist, particularly from producers in Champagne, Jura, and Franciacorta who adhere to organic or biodynamic farming and minimal dosage.
What Does Natural Wine Taste Like?
There is no single natural wine flavor profile. The category spans thousands of producers, grape varieties, and terroirs. However, certain tendencies distinguish natural wines from their conventional counterparts.
Natural wines often express brighter acidity and more vivid fruit character because they are not smoothed out by additives, heavy new oak, or extended fining. They tend to show greater vintage variation, reflecting the actual conditions of each growing season rather than a standardized house style. Aromatics can be more complex and layered, driven by the diverse metabolic activity of native yeast populations rather than the predictable flavor contributions of selected commercial strains.
Some natural wines exhibit characteristics that can surprise drinkers accustomed to conventional wine. A slight haze from skipping filtration, gentle effervescence from residual fermentation activity, or savory and earthy notes from wild yeast strains are all within the normal range. These are features of the winemaking approach, not faults—though, as with all wine, poorly made natural wines do exist. The key is sourcing from trusted producers and retailers who taste and curate their selections.
Natural wine is not inherently "funky." While some producers deliberately embrace wild, avant-garde styles, many others produce clean, precise, technically sound wines that happen to be made without intervention. The spectrum within natural wine is as wide as the spectrum within wine itself.
Natural Wine and Sulfites
Sulfites—sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—are the most discussed additive in the natural wine conversation. Understanding what they do, and why natural winemakers minimize them, helps contextualize the category.
SO₂ serves two functions in winemaking: it acts as an antimicrobial agent (preventing unwanted bacterial or yeast activity) and as an antioxidant (slowing oxidation). Conventional wines may contain up to 350 mg/L of total sulfites. Natural wines typically contain under 30 mg/L, and many are bottled with no added sulfites. All wines contain some sulfites produced naturally during fermentation—truly "sulfite-free" wine does not exist.
Lower sulfite levels mean natural wines require more careful handling. Proper storage—cool temperatures, away from light and temperature fluctuations—preserves quality. Many natural wines are best consumed within a few years of release, though well-made examples from producers using sound fruit and clean winemaking can age for decades.
The relationship between sulfites and headaches is widely misunderstood. Scientific research has not established sulfites as a primary cause of wine-related headaches. Alcohol itself, histamines (more prevalent in red wines), and individual sensitivity to various wine compounds all play roles. Some drinkers report feeling better after switching to low-sulfite natural wines, but this is anecdotal and may involve multiple factors beyond sulfites alone.
How to Identify and Choose Natural Wine
Because no universal certification label exists, identifying natural wine requires a combination of label reading, producer research, and trust in your source.
Label indicators. Terms such as "no added sulfites," "sans soufre ajouté," "unfined and unfiltered," "native yeast," "vin nature," or "minimal intervention" suggest natural winemaking practices. Organic (USDA, EU Organic) or biodynamic (Demeter) certification logos indicate the farming foundation, though they do not guarantee the wine is natural. France's Vin Méthode Nature logo, depicting a stylized grape bunch, is currently the only formal natural wine mark.
Producer research. A winemaker's philosophy, background, and published practices often reveal more than a label. Many natural wine producers are transparent about their methods on their websites, in interviews, and through importer channels.
Retailer curation. Perhaps the most reliable approach is to buy from retailers who specialize in natural wine and personally taste, vet, and stand behind every bottle they sell. A dedicated natural wine shop does the research so the consumer does not have to.
Visual cues. Slight haziness, sediment at the bottom of the bottle, or unconventional closures (crown caps, wax seals) are common in natural wines but are not guarantees. Many excellent natural wines are perfectly clear.
How to Store and Serve Natural Wine
Natural wines benefit from the same storage principles as all fine wine, with a few additional considerations.
Temperature. Store natural wine at 12–14°C (54–57°F) in a cool, dark space with stable temperature. Avoid storing natural wine at room temperature or near heat sources. Because many natural wines have lower sulfite levels, they are more sensitive to heat exposure than heavily sulfured conventional wines.
Light. UV light degrades wine. Keep bottles away from direct sunlight or fluorescent lighting.
Position. Wines sealed with cork should be stored on their side to keep the cork moist. Wines with crown caps or screw caps can be stored upright.
Serving temperature. Many natural wines show best when served slightly cool. Light reds often benefit from 15–30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. Natural whites and orange wines tend to show more complexity at cellar temperature (12–14°C) rather than straight out of the refrigerator. Sparkling natural wines and pét-nats are best well chilled.
Decanting. Some natural wines—particularly those bottled without sulfur—benefit from brief aeration to allow any reductive notes (sometimes perceived as struck match or a slight funk on opening) to dissipate. A few minutes in a glass or a gentle decant usually resolves this. Others are vibrant and expressive immediately on opening.
Natural Wine and Food Pairing
Natural wines tend to be exceptional food wines. Their acidity, textural complexity, and savory character make them versatile at the table.
Orange wines are among the most food-flexible wines produced anywhere. Their tannic structure and phenolic richness allow them to pair with dishes that would overwhelm a conventional white—roasted meats, aged cheeses, richly spiced cuisines, and fermented foods.
Light reds served slightly cool pair with charcuterie, grilled vegetables, pizza, pasta with tomato-based sauces, and lighter proteins like poultry or pork.
Full-bodied natural reds complement braised dishes, grilled red meats, stews, hard aged cheeses, and hearty grain dishes.
Natural whites work with seafood, salads, vegetable-forward cooking, soft cheeses, and lighter pasta dishes.
Pét-nats and sparkling natural wines are ideal aperitifs and pair well with fried foods, oysters, and sushi, with their gentle effervescence and acidity cutting through richness.
For more specific suggestions, visit our recipes and pairings section.
Key Natural Wine Regions
Natural wine is produced worldwide, but certain regions have become especially important to the movement.
France remains the birthplace and spiritual center of natural wine. Beaujolais, the Loire Valley, Jura, Alsace, the Rhône, Languedoc-Roussillon, Auvergne, and Burgundy all have deep concentrations of natural producers. Browse our French natural wine collection.
Italy is arguably the most dynamic natural wine country today, with thriving scenes in Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Sicily, Campania, Lazio, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Abruzzo, and Veneto. Italian natural winemakers draw on a rich tradition of indigenous grape varieties and artisanal production. Browse our Italian natural wine collection.
Austria has produced some of the most precise and refined natural wines in Europe, particularly from Burgenland and the Weinviertel, with producers working Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, and St. Laurent. Browse our Austrian natural wine collection.
Spain contributes an increasingly important selection from Catalonia, Galicia, the Canary Islands, La Mancha, and Navarra. Browse our Spanish natural wine collection.
Georgia, with its 8,000-year winemaking history and qvevri tradition, holds a unique position as both the world's oldest wine culture and a living reference for skin-contact and amphora winemaking. Browse our Georgian natural wine collection.
United States natural wine production has expanded rapidly, with California, Oregon, and New York leading. Browse our domestic natural wine collection.
Explore our regional profiles for deeper reading on Italian wine regions, French wine regions, Spanish wine regions, and Austrian wine regions.
Is Natural Wine a Fad?
No. Natural wine revives winemaking methods that predate industrialization—organic farming, native-yeast fermentation, minimal additives, and hands-off cellar work. These are not new ideas; they are the original way wine was made for thousands of years.
What has changed is consumer demand. A generation of drinkers now seeks transparency in food and drink production, prefers to support small-scale agriculture over industrial farming, and values distinctive regional character over homogenized consistency. Natural wine meets all of these demands. Its sustained growth across retail, restaurants, dedicated bars, and international festivals indicates a structural shift in the wine market, not a passing trend.
Is Natural Wine Healthier?
There is no scientific proof that natural wine is healthier than conventional wine. Natural wine still contains alcohol, and alcohol consumption carries well-documented health risks. Any responsible discussion of wine and health must begin with that fact.
That said, natural wines are produced from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes, contain fewer additives, and typically have lower sulfite levels than conventional wines. Some drinkers report feeling better when drinking natural wine, and some prefer to avoid the synthetic pesticide residues, commercial additives, and higher sulfite levels associated with industrial wine production. These are matters of personal preference and individual sensitivity, not established medical claims.
Always drink responsibly and in moderation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Wine
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes. It is fermented with native yeasts, produced without additives, bottled with little or no added sulfur dioxide, and typically left unfined and unfiltered.
Is natural wine organic?
Natural wine is made from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes, but it goes further than organic certification by also requiring minimal intervention in the cellar—native yeast fermentation, no additives, and little or no sulfur. Not all organic wines are natural, but all natural wines start with organic farming practices.
Does natural wine contain sulfites?
All wine contains small amounts of sulfites produced naturally during fermentation. Most natural wines have total sulfite levels under 30 mg/L, and many are bottled with no added sulfites. By comparison, conventional wines may contain up to 350 mg/L.
Why is natural wine cloudy?
Many natural wines appear slightly hazy because they are bottled without fining or filtration. Suspended yeast cells, proteins, and other naturally occurring particles remain in the wine. Cloudiness or light sediment in a natural wine is not a defect—it reflects gentle, minimal handling.
Does natural wine taste different from conventional wine?
Natural wine is not a single flavor. It spans every grape, region, and style. However, natural wines often express brighter acidity, more vivid fruit, and greater vintage variation than heavily processed conventional wines. Some exhibit savory, earthy, or wild aromatic notes from native yeast fermentation.
Can natural wine age?
Yes. Well-made natural wines from quality producers can age beautifully. Wines with adequate structure, acidity, and clean fruit—whether red, white, or orange—have demonstrated aging potential of ten years or more. Proper storage at cool, stable temperatures is essential, especially for wines with minimal sulfites.
How should I store natural wine?
Store natural wine at 12–14°C (54–57°F) in a dark location with stable temperature. Avoid heat and direct sunlight. Wines with lower sulfite levels are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations than conventional wines.
Is natural wine vegan?
Most natural wines are vegan because they skip fining agents derived from animal products (egg whites, casein, isinglass, gelatin). However, this is not universal. If vegan production is important to you, look for explicit vegan labeling or check with the retailer. Browse our vegan wine selection.
What is pét-nat?
Pétillant naturel (pét-nat) is a sparkling wine made using the méthode ancestrale: wine is bottled before primary fermentation finishes, and the remaining sugars create natural carbonation inside the sealed bottle. Pét-nats are typically lightly sparkling, sometimes lightly sweet, and are produced in every color from nearly every grape variety.
What is orange wine?
Orange wine is white wine made with extended skin contact. White grapes are fermented with their skins, seeds, and sometimes stems for days, weeks, or months—a technique borrowed from red winemaking. The result is a wine with deeper color, more tannic structure, and richer texture than conventional white wines. Learn more about orange wine.
Where can I buy natural wine online?
You can buy natural wine online from Primal Wine. We curate a selection of organic, biodynamic, and natural wines from artisanal producers across Italy, France, Austria, Spain, the United States, and beyond. Browse our full natural wine shop or start with our best sellers. Orders over $149 ship free.
