Natural or low intervention wine is a term applied to wines made with organically or biodynamically farmed grapes and minimal intervention in the cellar.
While there is no certification for natural wine, there are some pretty strict principles:

• artisanal winemaking techniques
• organically or biodynamically farmed grapes
• indigenous or wild yeasts
• no added flavor enhancers
• limited fining and filtration (to preserve flavor)
• little or no sulfites added during either production or bottling

Because of all this, some natural wines can taste very different.
They can be cloudy, with a fuller, juicier mouthfeel. They can be less predictable and can present aromas and tasting notes that may seem intense or strange at first. We feel they can have a lot more depth and character than most conventionally made wines.

The quickest answer is: organics is a set of environmentally-friendly rules, biodynamics is an environmental philosophy.

Organic winemaking avoids chemical fertilizers and pesticides on the farm. Instead, organic farmers use mild, naturally occurring pesticides, and may introduce certain plants to the vineyard in order to improve soil quality and attract the natural predators of vineyard pests. The same logic applies to processing the grapes in the cellar: natural yeasts are preferred, sulfur addition is limited.
At the same time, some organic standards do permit the use of certain chemicals, as well as non-native yeast, fining agents, sterile filtration, pasteurization, and sulfites.
So, if you’re fussy – check the standards of the country that certified a wine as organic before deciding whether you want it.

Biodynamic winemaking is very similar to organic in terms of the boxes it ticks in the vineyard and in the cellar. But it is more than a set of practical rules – it’s an entire philosophy.
Biodynamics strives to create wine in sync with the natural rhythms. The land is seen as an integral part of our planet and solar system. The vineyard – as a living organism. The perfect bio farm is a self-sustaining system with minimal external input, where plants, insects, and animals coexist and play their part in the health of the soil and grapes. Objects are reused and recycled.
What’s more, biodynamics considers factors such as the lunar calendar, astrology, the elements and plain simple good vibes, applying them to everything – from planting, picking, watering and pruning to all the steps of cellar processing.
Just like organic certification, bio certification criteria can vary. Many producers that do actually practice biodynamics are not certified.

There is no special mark or certification that natural wine producers can put on their bottles to inform customers. But they will leave clues! If you want to determine whether a bottle contains natural wine, looking for organic and biodynamic certifications is a good start – they often go hand in hand with natural viticulture. Next, look for phrases like “low / minimal intervention”, “natural winemaking techniques”, “unfined / unfiltered” and “zero / minimal sulfur”. Packaging can also serve as a signal. After all, all movements have their style. The crown cap is often used by natural wine producers, as well as bold, artistic or unusual label design.
Then again don’t rely on style alone. Anyone can slap a bright label on a bottle, it’s the stuff inside that matters. The certs aren’t a must either – many natural winemakers who do practice organics or biodynamics choose not to certify.

Wine is fermented grape juice. In that sense, all wines are natural. However, the amount of intervention is key. Mass production of wine today has gone far beyond the traditional process, inventing many ways to make wine ‘less natural’.
Vineyards have the option to use heavy and potentially toxic chemicals to kill weeds and insects and enhance soil fertility, use machines to harvest and process grapes, add fining agents (such as gelatin, egg white, milk protein, bentonite and others). They can apply filtering that often takes away much of the original flavor. They can chuck in large amounts of preservatives called sulfites.
The fewer additions are made, the more natural we consider a wine.

The principles of biodynamic agriculture were proposed by Rudolf Steiner in 1924. Today, there are two official certifying bodies, Biodevin and Demeter, that certify candidates based on Steiner’s original principles.
These are:

• Soil and plant health is improved using only substances derived from plants, animals and minerals
• Agricultural and cellar processes must be in harmony with the natural cycle / lunar calendar
• Spiritual approach to nature and creativity

The maximum permitted sulfite content for certified biodynamic wines is 70 mg/l for red wines, 90 mg/l for whites and rosés and 60 mg/l for sparkling wines.
In the EU, biodynamic wine labels must also be organic and display the EU organic logo.

There are many reasons, but mainly – because it’s different.
Since the late 80s, environmentalism has been on the rise and the wine industry reacted – first, with the organic movement, then the biodynamic boom. The latest breakthrough in sustainable, clean winemaking is natural viticulture, which goes even further than its forebearers, completely rethinking “what is normal”, and bringing a fresh new aesthetic.
Here’s a breakdown of why people get so excited:

Natural winemakers, armed with nothing but passion and artisan skill, are able to skip nearly all of the modern cheat-codes, and still make great tasting products.
Their work gives us the chance to think outside the box, try exciting flavors, taste rare local varieties, experience traditional winemaking, and, for a change, spend our money on small-scale nature-friendly production.
Natural wine reminds us that wine is an ancient drink that tasted differently in different places and time periods. So there’s no reason to limit yourself to conventional standards and be snobbish about it.
The natural movement is known for its flair for experiments and disregard for clichés.

When buying from us, you can taste new flavors and textures, experience truly artisanal winemaking, consume a 100% responsibly sourced and made product, participate in local economies by supporting small-scale producers and taste rare wine varieties that hardly ever grace the shelves of major wine retailers.
No conventional wine store can guarantee this kind of experience.

Because they take a lot more time and effort to produce.
Mass wine production uses chemical and mechanical aids to make more wine quicker and at a lower cost. It can still produce quality wine, but for reasons ranging from ethics and environmentalism to economic theory and aesthetics – many producers and consumers choose a different path.
Natural wineries are small local enterprises. Things are done by hand at every step of the way, with fewer chemical aids, leading to a far more time-consuming process. Fewer preservatives result in more demanding transportation and storage conditions.
The extra that you pay for a bottle of natural wine goes to support those who choose to make sustainable, hand-made products despite all odds.

Wine sediment is made up of organic particles from grape skins, seeds and stems, as well as bits of spent yeast. It is completely natural in all wines. As low intervention wines do not undergo heavy filtration, clarification or fining, some of this sediment remains.
Natural wines are often made with longer skin contact, which also influences the color of the drink.

Unlike mass produced industrial wine, natural wines have little or no preservatives (sulfur dioxide). This creates more risk during transportation and storage. Natural wines need to be handled with care, and kept at appropriate temperatures, away from sunlight.
We take storage very seriously, and all our wines are ready to be consumed. If you want a wine for keeping rather than immediate consumption, you may need to think about special storage conditions.

It is not. The natural wine culture has developed its signature style and does market itself accordingly. But behind the label and bottle design are small producers who invested hours of hard work and passion into their wine. If you’re curious, many natural winemakers provide tech sheets for their wines, so you can see how the stuff is made.
We hand pick our producers and taste everything we sell, so you can be sure that what you buy here is a genuine artisanal product, not just pretty wrapping.