The why, what and how naturally

His argument was made at a time when aromatic spices and even marble dust were added to wines. Several millennia later, following the industrialization of wine, what constitutes naturalness is once again a source of debate.

Here in New Zealand, as the natural wine movement gains momentum, questions arise about what natural wine is and how much the industry should care about its demarcation. It’s a situation that is complicated by the lack of a standard definition for what has merged as natural wine – a term some are uncomfortable with, given that it derives from a imperfect translation of “nature” which, in French, relates to something. to which nothing has been added. However, many agree with the description provided by Isabelle Legeron, Master of Wine (MW), in her book, Natural Wine, that these minimal intervention wines are “wine from organically grown vineyards, at all times. the least, and produced without adding or removing anything during vinification (vinification), apart from a maximum of sulphites at bottling ”.

Addition and subtraction

Sulfur is a controversial issue regarding what can be added to make a wine considered natural. “Over the years, there has been a growing consensus that sulfur, at higher levels, affects the expressiveness of wine,” observes Stephen Wong MW, a category pioneer on-site in New Zealand. “There has also been a move away from completely sulfur-free wines, even among the pioneers of the natural wine scene – at least for their exported wines. Based on a sample of opinions that I have consulted over the years, most believe that levels of total sulfur of 25 to 30 ppm do not significantly affect sensory qualities.

When it comes to natural wine for export, Stephen shares the view of a number of local winemakers that minimal additions of sulfur to protect it on a trip around the world are allowed if they are declared. “It is far better for a wine to be drinkable with a small addition of sulfur – and if need be, not carry the nickname of natural wine – than to knowingly ship and sell a wine known to be damaged. “, he maintains.

Amy Farnsworth d’Amoise does not think that any additions should be made during the winemaking process, and that includes sulfur. “As we use the natural materials of the grape to stabilize the wines, we don’t need to rely on sulfur as an antioxidant,” she says. However, although she never adds sulfur to her own wines, as a “firm believer in responsible natural winemaking,” Amy agrees only small additions to preserve a batch of wine that would otherwise be unsaleable, if they do. were disclosed, are permitted. “Transparency is the key. “

For Yoshiaki Sato of Sato Wines, a little sulfur in bottling is necessary, given its philosophy of long aging. “However, I don’t think we need more than 20 ppm SO2 for protection,” he observes. “We normally only add 5-15 ppm in total at bottling, which doesn’t change the taste, but can restore freshness to the wines and protect them from further oxidation during the bottling process. “

Finding faults

What natural wines aren’t, or shouldn’t be, is another conversation, sometimes clouded by the lack of education and experience here in New Zealand. Despite what some communications might suggest, this is not a style, but an approach to winemaking that begins in the vineyard and informs winemaking choices, such as the use of oak.

“New oak is generally regarded as an artifice; in fact, it is a winemaker’s cheat to help a wine taste better; it obscures the actual flavor of the wine and as such I think it is considered an additive in that regard, ”says Oliver Styles of Halcyon Days, adding that oak is widely used by natural winemakers for maturation. , “But we are not looking for the taste of oak”.

Defects, which are an encouraging rarity in New Zealand examples, are not an inherent quality in natural wines and are indeed less tolerated by mature markets. “The growing rejection of faulty natural wines is a trend happening elsewhere and we have to make it happen here as well,” Stephen observes. “The heady days when everyone accepted natural wine, whether good or not, are over. For the amount of money these wines command, they have to do the right thing for their customers and also be a good wine, not just a natural wine.

Yoshiaki agrees. “In other countries where natural wines are well established in the market, consumers are already tired of ‘funky tastes’: too much oxidation, volatile acidity, mouse tastes or other nasty flavors derived from it. imprecise treatment of grapes or wines in the winemaking process, ”he says. “People can feel a certain excitement with these wines at first. However, consumers are smart and have the ability to recognize things that are wrong. “

Operation and regulation

Now that New Zealand is building a market for its natural wines, some are finding that vague definitions and a lack of regulation create the potential for confusion and exploitation, to the detriment of the image of the category. “The biggest thing about natural wine is that anyone can say their wine is natural and produce it from conventionally produced fruit,” observes Jack Weaver of Churton. “It’s common for people to take all the fruit they can get their hands on, make a flawed wine that loses all ‘natural’ integrity, hit it in a bottle with a fresh label and call it natural.”

In France, where natural wine is much more established, a groundswell of those who seek to define and protect natural wine allowed Vin Method Nature to become an official appellation last year. Its wines must meet a criterion that includes being made from organic grapes using indigenous yeasts and prohibits winemaking techniques such as filtration. Sulfur can be added after fermentation up to 30 mg / L, or not at all, with each approach labeled accordingly.

This kind of charter is something Jack and a number of other local producers would appreciate, “especially since ingredients don’t have to be listed on wine labels,” thinks Nicolas Brown of Black Estate. “It also helps consumers better understand how a wine is made. Many people drink natural wines for health or moral reasons, so it is important that they can trust the producer.

Opinions are however divided. Jules van Costello of Cult Wines – which sells natural wines and makes them under the Known Unknown label – is not convinced. “Just because a wine has a certification that won’t stop someone from selling something so ‘natural’ when they don’t know better,” he says. “But there are less scrupulous and less educated people who sell and make the wines, and we need a better way to solve this problem. I think transparency is the key.

“I don’t know if the modern second wave natural wine drinker really cares about how his wine is actually made, as much as he is interested in drinking ‘on the brand’, says Stephen. “Where a formal charter would help is to highlight charlatans who make claims that are not supported by practice. But a charter is only as strong as its application, and… in practice, it might not be different from what we have now.

New Zealand Wineries Managing Director Philip Gregan said this is an area that is likely to be market driven in the future. “If an operator in this space thought it was worth it, they could always set a certification mark and explore which producers would be willing to pay to use it. “

This time seems far away. During this time, the natural conversation will hopefully continue to turn into productive exchanges that provide a better understanding of this new point in New Zealand’s sustainable continuum.