Natural Wines
Nowadays there is a growing interest in natural wines. That is why we give them a little more attention here. Natural wine (also known as vin naturel or raw wine) is, at its core, wine in its purest, unprocessed form. Whereas conventional viticulture allows dozens of chemical aids and additives, natural wine has one golden rule: nothing added, nothing taken away (nothing added, nothing taken away).
The origin
Although wine was made naturally for thousands of years, the modern natural wine movement emerged as a reaction to the industrial and chemical post-war agriculture.
- 1970s/80s (Beaujolais, France): The ‘Father of Natural Wine’, Jules Chauvet (oenologist and winemaker), together with a small group of winegrowers (the Gang of Four), set out on a new path. They resisted the large-scale use of pesticides, synthetic yeasts and excessive use of sulphites.
- Cult status: What started as a small underground movement in French cellars grew into a worldwide philosophy in the following decades.
The production process
Making natural wine paradoxically requires more craftsmanship and precision than conventional viticulture, because the winemaker uses no chemical safety nets.
- In the vineyard: The grapes are grown 100% organically or biodynamically (without chemical pesticides or artificial fertiliser). The harvest is always manual, because only undamaged, healthy grapes are usable.
- In the cellar:
- Spontaneous fermentation: Only the naturally present wild yeasts on the grape skins are used (no lab-cultured yeast).
- No additives: No added sugars, acid regulators, enzymes or fining agents (such as egg white or gelatine).
- Unfiltered: The wine is not or only minimally filtered, which can lead to a cloudy appearance and sediment.
- Sulphite-free or minimal sulphite: No sulphite is added during vinification; at most a minimal dose just before bottling to stabilise the wine (often less than 30 mg/l, compared with 150 – 200 mg/l in conventional wine).
Growth and spread in the Benelux
Natural wine has transformed from a niche hobby into a defining factor in gastronomy over the past ten years.
- Rise in the Benelux: Cities such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Rotterdam are leading the way. Specialist shops, natural wine bars and (Michelin-star) restaurants have made natural wine a standard on their menus.
- Consumer trend: The growth is driven by a younger generation of consumers who value sustainability, transparency, craftsmanship and light, digestible wine styles (pét-nats, orange wines).
Number of producers per country
Because natural wine officially lacked a legal definition for a long time, the figures are based on estimates by specialised associations and organisations (such as RAW Wine and the French Syndicat défense des Vins Naturels):
- France (the pioneer): ≈ 1,000 to 1,500+ dedicated natural wine producers (including many represented in the Loire, Beaujolais, Alsace and Languedoc).
- Italy: ≈ 600 to 900+ producers (mainly in regions such as Sicily, Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna).
- Spain: ≈ 300 to 500+ producers (strong rise in Catalonia and Penedès).
- Belgium: ≈ 10 to 20 producers. Belgian viticulture is growing rapidly, and a small but dedicated part works fully naturally or biodynamically.
- Netherlands: ≈ 5 to 15 producers. Due to the humid climate, working without chemicals is more challenging, but thanks to fungus-resistant grape varieties (PIWI's) and pioneering vineyards (such as Wijngaard Dassemus) natural wine is also gaining ground in the Netherlands.