Although all wine comes from grapes, the truth is that many can also contain additives and manipulations that are legally allowed: aromas, acidity, color, and structure can all be adjusted—basically, its character (see Annex I A of Regulation (EC) No. 606/2009). It’s worth noting that the additives used—and even their amounts—are not required to appear on the label.

By the way, a natural wine is made from organic or biodynamic grapes, with no added chemicals. The must is left to ferment spontaneously, without corrections or additives, respecting the unique character of each harvest.

But wait… can a wine be natural if it comes from monoculture? And what if there’s slave labor or inhumane working conditions behind it? And if a large wine company cultivates some vineyards organically and, from them, produces a wine without chemicals—can that wine be sold as natural?

Natural wine is, above all, a provocation that invites us to better understand what we consume and to reflect on the system and the chain of people who make it possible: farmers, sommeliers, distributors, sellers… an entire community.

The question “What is natural wine?” might not be made just to be answered: its importance is also to generate more questions and, with this (hopefully), to dismantle the production, distribution, and power logics that sustain it and perpetuate inequalities throughout the entire chain.