{"id":4209,"date":"2018-06-09T13:11:27","date_gmt":"2018-06-09T18:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=4209"},"modified":"2018-06-10T19:25:18","modified_gmt":"2018-06-11T00:25:18","slug":"deal-natural-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/06\/deal-natural-wine\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegan, Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable, Sulfite Free – So What\u2019s the Deal With Natural Wine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Organic. Biodynamic. Sustainable. Vegan. No Sulfites. We\u2019ve all heard these terms more times than we can count, but what do they mean when used in the context of wine? Many times the term \u2018Natural Wine\u2019 is used as an all encompassing descriptor. The last several years have seen a significant increase in consumer awareness when it comes to food. What\u2019s in the food, where it comes from, how it\u2019s produced, etc. are all common questions that many of us now ask. Locally sourced and organic foods are some of the fastest growing segments in the food industry. Sustainability is no longer a fringe idea but squarely in the mainstream. And while many consumers are more knowledgeable about their food, many have no clue what goes into their wine. Most people just figure there\u2019s a basic way to make wine and if it tastes good, then all is right with the world. Well, not so fast.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a whole lot of adulterated wine out there. But let\u2019s also be clear that not all adulteration is bad. At least not in small doses. And maybe that\u2019s not the word we should even use. Additives in wine include things like yeast, antioxidants (that would be you sulfur), tannins, acidifiers\/de-acidifiers, clarifying agents, and stabilizers. Wine is volatile and inherently unstable and thus methods have been developed to stabilize it and prevent it from spoiling. Sometimes it doesn\u2019t come out the way we want and is further \u201cenhanced\u201d with sugar or acid if local law allows. Whatever the method of \u201cadulteration\u201d or \u201cenhancement\u201d there are folks on both sides of the debate including those who want as close to a natural wine as they can get.<\/p>\n

When you move away from these more \u201cnormal\u201d additives and start seeing things like Mega Purple, which is a grape juice concentrate used to color correct wines – you know to make them that deep shade of red we love \u2013 then more folks seem to get concerned. In addition to adding color, the ultra-sweet concoction can add a hint of sweetness to wines and is also used to cover up those green bell-pepper tasting pyrazines. There are also things out there like aroma enhancers and ammonium salts and even water added to wine depending on the location.<\/p>\n

Depending on who you are, you may have no issue with some of these practices. Or you may be OK with all of them. You may be OK with small amounts but don\u2019t want winemakers to get carried away. However, if you are a consumer that wants very little in the way of the \u201cextras\u201d in wines, then more than ever there are so called natural wine options available on the market.<\/p>\n

The folks at Natural Merchants<\/a><\/span> have made great strides in trying to fill this niche and make consumers more aware of what goes (or doesn\u2019t go) into wine. They are one of North America\u2019s leading importers of organic and natural wines direct from family produced wineries around the world. Their\u00a0entire portfolio is produced to\u00a0vegan wine standards and many are Certified Vegan.\u00a0Even better, many of their wines are sold at your local Whole Foods stores. So if you\u2019re looking for non-adulterated, natural wine, the folks at Natural Merchants have what you\u2019re looking for. They were kind enough to send me a few to try.<\/p>\n

And just an FYI, if you scroll down, you\u2019ll find a few key definitions as to what all these terms mean.<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> So here\u2019s what I tasted.<\/p>\n

Tarantas Sparkling Ros\u00e9,<\/span> Utiel-Requena, Spain (~$11)<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
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Tarantas Sparkling Ros\u00e9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First up was this lovely sparkler made with organic grapes from Spain\u2019s Utiel-Requena region which is made of 100% Bobal. Utiel-Requena specializes in the Bobal grape, which is a red variety with thick skin that produces wines of intense color (thanks to a high level of anthocyanins)<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span> and flavor. Bobal is also known to be quite acidic and tannic. The region has had a reputation of producing wines that quite frankly are not very good. But like many regions around the world, winemakers have committed to making the wines of the region better, and that starts in the vineyard. The organic grapes for the wine were grown in the hills just west of Spain\u2019s Mediterranean coast near Valencia.<\/p>\n

In the glass, the wine showed a deep strawberry pink in the glass due to the intense color of the Bobal grape. I\u2019m not sure of the atmospheres of pressure but it seemed to sit somewhere between semi-sparkling and full-sparkling. Either way it offered nice acidity and would appeal to both lovers of sparkling wine as well as those that aren\u2019t such big fans.<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Tasting it offered up a creamy mousse of strawberry, orange cream, lime, spice and a hint of residual sugar. Absolutely perfect for quaffing on hot day (so easy to drink) but could also pair with a number of foods including spicy Cajun or Asian fare, seafood, and grilled pork or chicken. We paired with grilled hot dogs and sausage while swimming in the pool.<\/p>\n

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