Wines made from sustainably-grown grapes (aka organic and biodynamic grapes) with minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Unlike conventional wines, natural wines do not contain added sugars and chemicals to influence flavor or texture of the wine.
Natural wines are made with sustainably-grown grapes which reduce chemical
usage, promote biodiversity and have a positive environmental impact.
With little or no machinery and mechanization, grapes are harvested by hand (or hoof!) and fermented using yeasts that naturally occur (on the grapeskins and vines) instead of lab-produced yeasts.
Organic: Simply put, everything that is used to create a wine exists naturally on earth. There are no synthetic or chemical fertilizers or additives used to process the grapes and/or wines. It's worth noting that sulfites are a naturally-occurring preservative and acceptable in organic wines.
Biodynamic: A holistic approach to organic farming that incorporates and protects the ecosystem. By farming harmoniously with the earth and its different life cycles, biodynamic farming promotes biodiversity by using plants and animals to fertilize and balance the environment.
Wines that do not use any products derived from animals.
Animal-based agents (such as egg whites, or isinglass - a fish byproduct) are commonly used during to clarify the wine and remove small particles. After a wine is made, these products can be temporarily added to gather and remove small particles from the wine.
Wines that are certified vegan may use plant-based alternatives to clarify wines or choose to skip the fining/clarification step of the process altogether.
Wines made with zero additions and zero subtractions. Nothing is added (sulfur, commercial yeast, etc) or subtracted (via filtration) during the winemaking process. As natural winemakers are committed to promoting sustainability and transparency, there is a growing sub-set of winemakers who are pushing the boundaries with zero-zero wines.