New & Natural at Grapes & Grains

The following article is focused on a relatively new category of wines.  I would like to discuss natural wines and their rising importance to wine consumers. There has been a sharp increase in requests for organic and sulfur free wines at Grapes & Grains, so it is clear to me that you are also thinking about this exciting new category of fine wines.  Grapes & Grains in Barrington, Rhode Island is pleased to announce a new section of natural wines dedicated solely to those wines produced with organic or biodynamic fruit processed with little or no sulfur.

So what exactly is natural wine?  Some of the key components of natural wines include:  organic or biodynamically grown fruit picked by hand, indigenous yeasts, little to no fining or filtering agents, and low to zero sulfur additions in the winery.  If ingredients were listed on the bottle, the most natural wines would have one ingredient:  wine grapes.  For a wine to be labeled as natural, it must be vinified as genuinely as possible.  This means that after the fruit has been grown organically or biodynamically, it must be processed with minimal use of additives and technological manipulations in the winery.  Examples of some common additives cleared for use in most wineries include:  sugar, acidifiers, yeast, powdered tannins, enzymes and fining agents.  Some technological manipulations include the use of mechanical harvesters to pick fruit, spinning cones that are able to remove alcohol, or micro-oxygenation tanks able to accelerate aging.  In addition to being made with little to no sulfur, natural wines may not be acidified or deacidified, chaptalized, oxygenated, or dosed with cultivated yeast. 

Let’s talk about sulfur.  There are many wine lovers who request sulfur free wines because they have experienced allergic reactions to conventionally produced wines.  According to a paper published by Michael Kerr in May of 2012, “sulfites are the ninth most common food allergen (behind milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish.)”  When reporting adverse reactions to sulfur, most wine-drinkers will often complain of headaches, rashes, itchiness and redness of the skin.  While sulfites are a natural compound found in all grapes, almost all winemakers add additional doses of sulfur to their wines once the fruit is picked.  With so many adverse consumer reactions to sulfur, it’s important to understand when and why sulfur might be added to wine.  While there is little regulation other than the concentration of sulfur that a winemaker may add at one specific time, there are some key moments during the wine making process when sulfur is often added to the fruit, fermenting juice or wine. 

I would like to highlight the four key moments in the wine making process when a conventional winemaker may choose to add sulfur to his or her wine.  Each one of these sulfur additions acts as a preservative against oxidation or microbes in the winemaking process.

1.      When the fruit is being picked, often by a mechanical harvester, damaged berries may cause the juice to oxidize.  Spraying a sulfur solution on the fruit as it is being collected can retard oxidation and prevent the resulting wine from browning.

2.      When the crushed fruit or pressed juice is going to be inoculated with a commercial strain of yeast, a sulfur solution will often be added to the fermentation vessel.  Indigenous yeast are much more sensitive to sulfur than commercial yeast. By inhibiting the growth of natural yeast, a conventional winemaker can give his or her chosen yeast a less competitive environment in which to grow. 

3.      As primary fermentation is ending, wine is moved to a vessel in which it will age.  There are two distinct fermentations that occur during the winemaking process.  The primary fermentation occurs when yeast consume sugar and release carbon dioxide and alcohol.  The secondary fermentation occurs when malolactic bacteria consume malic acid converting it into softer lactic acid and usually begins as primary fermentation is ending.  In order to preserve acidity and fruity aroma compounds, a conventional winemaker may choose to inhibit the secondary fermentation by adding a liberal dose of sulfur to the aging vessel at the end of primary fermentation.

4.      At bottling.  Even natural winemakers may take this final moment to add a small dose of sulfur to their wine.  One of a winemaker’s biggest fears is that his or her wine may begin fermenting again after it has been bottled.   In order to prevent a microbial bloom after bottling, conventional winemakers often fine, filter and add heavy doses of sulfur at bottling.

Rather than adding sulfur, natural winemakers choose other techniques to prevent oxidation or spoilage of their wines. 

1.      Harvesting by hand and transporting fruit in small bins can prevent crushed berries and oxidized fruit.  Natural winemakers also rush their fruit into the winery to begin fermentation immediately after harvest. 

2.      Even though native yeasts can take much longer to complete a fermentation than their super-charged cousins, natural winemakers consider the individual character and expression of terroir that natural yeast are able to capture well worth the wait.  By avoiding sulfur additions and by maintaining optimal temperatures for microbial growth, natural winemakers are able create ideal environments for natural fermentation.

3.      Once a wine has completed its secondary fermentation, there are very little nutrients or food sources left in the wine for the remaining microbes.  Natural winemakers encourage secondary fermentation in all of their wines because it yields a much more stable product. 

4.      At bottling many natural winemakers will choose to eschew sulfur additions all together while others may add a “homeopathic” dose to protect their wines during transit or on an occasion when sugar remains in the wine.

There are several different mantras regarding how much sulfur may be added at bottling for a wine to be marketed as natural.  Various organizations including N & P, Demeter and MTO enforce different standards for wines bearing their labels. A good assumption to make is that natural wines will generally have at least 50% less sulfites in the bottle than a conventionally produced wine.

With Zev Rovine Selections, Jenny and Francois and Louis Dressner dedicated to importing natural wines, Grapes & Grains is able to continue to add new, natural wines for you to try.  If you are looking for something new, try an earthy and fleshy Gamay produced by Les Chardons in the Touraine or a brooding and dark Cru Beaujolais grown in volcanic soil and produced by Philip Jambon.  You could also rediscover intense, old vine Chenin blanc called Bezigon and fermented in neutral oak foudres by JC Garnier.  Regardless of whether you are sensitive to sulfites or not, these are wines that are sure to leave you feeling good!   With so much attention to detail and a sincere reverence for nature going into each and every bottle, you are guaranteed to experience the nuances of a specific place captured at a specific time.   

Christin Aarons,  CSW, AAS is the Wine Buyer at Grapes & Grains fine wine, craft beer, and small-batch spirits shop in Barrington, RI. G&G focuses on creating an experience through trying something new. With a truly knowledgeable staff and inviting atmosphere, G&G is sure to bring about a memorable experience. Any questions, comments or suggestions on the Monthly Wine Review?  Email Christin at Caarons@grapesandgrainsri.com