Wines with No Added Sulfites - Nature

Discover our exclusive selection of Natural Wines: Reds, Whites, Rosés, Sparkling Wines... Each of these wines has been carefully selected to offer you a unique tasting experience. Our natural wines come from vineyards that practice environmentally friendly viticulture, without the addition of chemicals, ensuring an authentic taste and preserved aromas. Explore our selection and find your favorite. An official label—but only recently. For a very long time, the term “natural wine” had no legal standing and was even banned. It wasn’t until March 2020 that this type of wine gained official status. This kind of wine was already being produced and enjoyed before then—its popularity is nothing new! Despite the ban, many winemakers continued to produce natural wine. And consumers kept asking for more! That’s why the Syndicat de défense du vin nature (Union for the Defense of Natural Wine), led by winemaker Jacques Carroget, was created. This organization took on the task of proposing a definition and a legal framework for this type of wine. The need to establish a framework became increasingly urgent as “fake” wines labeled as “natural” proliferated and misled enthusiasts with little knowledge of the field. What defines a natural wine? So, ultimately, what is a wine made using the natural method? In short, it is a wine made from grapes grown using organic and/or biodynamic farming methods and harvested by hand. The grapes must then be vinified without any additives or corrective winemaking techniques. This goes far beyond the image of “sulfite-free wine” that some people associated with “méthode nature” wines. These wines can be red, white, rosé, or sparkling and are produced in all regions of France. The issue of sulfur, however, remains a very sensitive one. The charter specifies: “no sulfites added before or during fermentation,” although some adjustments are permitted. Beyond the definition, this charter also outlines control procedures. In particular, member winemakers must provide analyses certifying the sulfur content after bottling. Wines that meet all the criteria established by the charter and have passed the control evaluations may display the small “Vin méthode nature” sticker. What is the difference between a natural wine, a biodynamic wine, and an organic wine? The difference between these types of wine lies in the products permitted for vineyard cultivation and during winemaking. To put it simply, natural wines contain fewer additives (particularly sulfur dioxide); next come biodynamic wines, followed by organic wines, and finally conventional wines. Naturally, different cultivation and winemaking methods result in different flavors. This isn’t a problem for winemakers; rather, it’s a way to broaden the range of possibilities and think outside the box. Wines produced using the natural method generally have a distinctive aroma and flavor. This applies to both red and white wines. According to Marketa Sitarova, a wine merchant and former sommelier at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Arpège in Paris, the taste of natural wine varies greatly from one vintage to another and is quite distinctive: the aromas tend to be primary and thus fruit-forward. These are easy-drinking wines that go down smoothly; they rarely possess the complexity of a classic wine. Wines That Are Growing in Popularity Natural wines have quickly become a must-try in recent years. Their rise has been meteoric and seems unstoppable. These “healthier” production methods and the winemakers’ philosophy—not to mention the names of the vintages and the original labels—have won over a large number of wine consumers. The opportunity to taste truly different wines is also a key factor behind the enthusiasm surrounding this type of wine.