Peeling Back the Layers on Natural Wine
Captain Vineyards slow Aging Barrels Natural wine is widely debated. The problem is that natural wine, though a viticultural and winemaking practice for more than 70 years, has never been legislated. Its existence and practice are, therefore, based on a philosophy that each winegrower can interpret in their own way. For the consumer, there is no set standard that guarantees an intersection of the growing practices and conduct of the winemaker. There is no ethical promise of wine that will be consumed under the label “natural wine.” Most followers of the movement believe “natural wine” is a wine without synthetic chemicals or oenological inputs, made from organic grapes that are harvested by hand. This very broad definition does not contain...