Call it the nature girl in me. Whatever. I’m simply on a mission to understand the so-called “natural” wine movement and make up my mind about it. Wine is always an education. So naturally (excuse the pun), I went to one of my teachers, Charles Austermuhl, who holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma and teaches all levels of WSET courses in Philadelphia.
LW: Are you familiar with natural wines? Have you purchased any natural wines or ordered any in a restaurant or elsewhere? Why or why not?
CA: I am familiar with “natural” wines, although I take exception to considering such wines to be “natural” in comparison to other wines. I have not purchased any, either in a restaurant or shop. I find such wines to be far more unpredictable than I want from my wine purchases. Risking a corked bottle is one thing; risking a flawed wine due to a lack of basic, acceptable winemaking techniques is not something I am willing to risk.
LW: With only naturally occurring yeast and no additives (nutrients, fining agents, sulphur), natural wines have been described as “funky.” How do you feel about drinking funky wine? Is that acceptable to you?
CA: There is nothing inherently wrong with a wine being “funky” (several great Grand Cru Burgundies come to mind).
LW: In addition to affecting taste, the lack of fining agents might cause the wine to be cloudy. What’s your opinion of a cloudy wine? Does cloudiness detract from the experience for you?
CA: Again, this is winemaker’s choice and nothing is wrong with the choice. There are many great wines that fall outside the current definition of “natural” wine that are neither fined nor filtered, and may be considered cloudy. This is not a problem for me, although mentioning the lack of these treatments on the label is always a plus.
LW: Sulphur has been used for centuries to protect wine from unwanted yeast and bacteria and to avoid oxidation. What’s your opinion on the use of sulphur in wine? Is it necessary?
CA: The first clause of your sentence explains why I dislike the notion of one group of wines touting themselves as “natural.” There is nothing unnatural or inherently wrong about adding sulphur to wine. Most German Prädikat wines would be commercially impossible without some addition of sulphur, for example. I believe in some regions, the use of sulphur is necessary to make a commercially viable and stable product.
LW: Do you expect to see more natural wines on the market? Specifically, do you think we’ll see more in Pennsylvania?
CA: I really have no opinion on this one. I believe that many wine drinkers are intrigued by the concept of such wines and will continue to experiment with them. Whether that translates into greater market penetration is hard to say. If there is sufficient demand, I would expect to see them in Pennsylvania or any major market.
Next time: What’s actually in your wine?