"Clean," "Organic," and "Natural" Wine. What You Need To Know

These wines do not have sulphites and other preservatives and pesticides from the grapes used to make the wine. They will also not have additives, use better production methods and better ingredients to produce wines that are healthier to drink. If you are conscious of what you are putting in your body, clean wines are a good alternative to the usual ones. Clean wines are better for your health as they contain more antioxidants, have less additives and you are likely to suffer less severe hangovers than normal wines.

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What is Natural Wine?

Natural wine is different from ordinary wine in the ingredients used to make it and the production process. The usual wine is made from grapes where the vineyards spray pesticides and other chemicals to deal with pests and weeds. These pesticides and chemicals are harmful. During the winemaking process, the winemakers add certain ingredients which control the process, such as yeast which increases fermentation. Artificial flavoring helps with the flavor, while sulfur dioxide prevents bacteria from growing and reduces oxidation so that the wine lasts longer. Winemakers may add color to make the wine look better. Natural wine strives to make the wine as natural as possible, starting in the vineyards' growing process and manufacturing.

Natural winemakers do not use pesticides and harmful chemicals in the vineyard and rely on natural methods to control pests and weeds. They reduce the additives used during the manufacturing process by letting the grapes ferment naturally after being handpicked. In some cases, the winemakers will add small amounts of yeast or sulfur dioxide to streamline the manufacturing process or correct a problem that may arise. However, they allow the process to take place as naturally as possible. The taste and look of the wine are natural, and this type of wine is likely to have a cloudy appearance, some sediment at the bottom when it sits for some time, and a complex taste. Natural wine tends to have a unique taste, and every wine bottle will have its unique taste.

Types of Natural Wine

Natural wine comes in red, white, and rose varieties and the less popular pet-nat and orange varieties. The red, rose, and white grapes are made from fewer preservatives during the production process. Pet-nat or petillant-naturel is made from different grapes and is completed when bottled before the fermentation process to produce a naturally sparkling wine. Sugar and yeast are added to still wine to cause additional fermentation and bubbles. Orange wine is produced by fermenting white wine grapes with their skin and seeds still attached. The wine has an orange color with sour-tasting or nutty flavored wine.

Natural Winemaking

There is no standard way to make natural wine. This is because the idea of natural wine is to use best practices to make it. This comes from the growth process to the manufacturing. Many countries do not have a standard definition. Still, as people become more discerning about their health and well-being, winemakers are responding to the need to have wine that has been prepared with the least number of additives, preservatives, and chemicals to keep the drinkers happy.

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Organic and Biodynamic Wines

‍There are organic, biodynamic, clean, and vegan wines. The differences in the types are based on the ingredients used and the manufacturing process. Organic wine means wine that has been made from grapes that are organically grown, which means that pesticides are not used on the vineyards, and during the production process, additives are not used. Organic wine is also used to refer to a wine that does not contain any sulfites, sulfur dioxide is not used, and any other similar preservatives.

Organic wine goes through a rigorous inspection process, and if you want to be sure you are drinking certified organic wine, the bottle will have a 100% organic label or a USDA organic label. Vegan wine does not use animal products during production but may have additives and preservatives in the manufacturing process. Biodynamic wine is when the vineyards are cultivated using natural weather patterns, water recycling, natural pest, weed avoidance methods, and organic material to grow the grapes in the most natural environment possible. A biodynamic vineyard may have an orchard, and animals can live among the grapevines to create an environment that yields high-quality grapes. The production process also relies on all these conditions to produce the wine. There are specific standards that biodynamic winemakers use to process the wine. It is stricter than the organic process but is labeled as organic wine.

Do You Get A Hangover After Drinking Clean Wine?

A hangover will often occur after overindulging in your favorite bottle of wine, and clean wine is no different. With organic wine, the chances of getting a hangover are not any less than drinking the usual wine. Hangovers tend to occur because of the presence of sulfites that are found in wine.  However, the hangover you experience after drinking natural wine may not be as severe as when you drink normal wine. The reason is that there are fewer chemicals and preservatives that your body has to process and less alcoholic content (ABV). The alcohol is also of a purer form.  Natural wine tends to have more antioxidants which makes it a more pleasant option for the body.