Natural Wine Now: Beyond the Hype, Sulfur Myths, and Real Style

Natural wine used to feel like the cool kid at the party—cloudy, quirky, and just rebellious enough to make your uncle clutch his decanter. A decade later, it’s on Michelin lists and in supermarkets. Did the movement mellow out, or did we finally learn how to talk about it without shouting “zero sulfur!” into the void?

“Natural wine wasn’t just something to drink – it had become a movement.” —Konstantin Baum MW, Wine-Searcher

Konstantin Baum MW’s piece on Wine-Searcher charts that arc from fringe to familiar, but the punchline is refreshingly honest: the story isn’t simple, and it shouldn’t be.

Style snapshot: what’s actually in the glass?

Natural wine isn’t a flavor, it’s a philosophy—but some styles show up again and again:

• Reds: Often light to medium-bodied, usually dry, bright acidity, sometimes a little wild on the nose (think crunchy fruits with occasional barnyard cameos).
• Whites/skin-contact: From coppery Pinot Gris to amber Chardonnay blends, typically dry with tea-like tannins and a savory edge.
• Sparkling: Pét-nat—bottled before fermentation finishes—can be frothy, fun, and unpredictable in the best way.

Beaujolais sits close to the movement’s roots, so think Gamay when you imagine early benchmarks. In the right hands, it’s juicy and lithe, a totally dry red with vivid red fruit and gentle structure—a far cry from the oaky blockbusters of the 2000s.

If you’re wondering about sulfur: yes, sulfites exist naturally. Baum notes the common misconception that “only wines free of sulfur” are truly natural, and reminds us that SO2 is a natural byproduct of fermentation. That’s winemaking 101, not a corporate conspiracy.

Context: beyond dogma and into nuance

Baum revisits the Beaujolais origins—Jules Chauvet, Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard—and the early rebellion against industrial winemaking and “Parkerized” styles. That historical anchor matters. Natural wine was less a marketing pitch and more a cultural reset: farm better, intervene less, trust the microbiology, accept imperfection.

The movement also wrestles with its own contradictions. There’s no globally binding definition, and even respected gatherings like RAW Wine set thresholds rather than absolutes. As the article notes, caps like 50 mg/L total SO2 are “well below” EU limits but not zero—meaning natural wine isn’t synonymous with no-sulfur, it’s about restraint and intent.

I appreciate Baum’s willingness to stress-test the slogans. His line that “the truth… is more complicated than a one-sentence slogan” should be printed on every Instagram-friendly wax capsule. And when Isabelle Legeron MW defines natural wine as made “without adding or removing anything in the cellar,” Baum argues that taken literally, it’s unworkable. Reality sits in the middle: minimal inputs, thoughtful decisions, and clarity about what’s been done.

Common knowledge says native yeasts equal authenticity and lab yeasts equal soulless wine. But the cellar is a living ecosystem—sometimes you need to steer the ship. The article doesn’t trash the ideal; it asks us to distinguish principle from purity tests. That’s a healthy evolution, just like seeing pét-nat next to Champagne on a serious list.

How to buy (and enjoy) naturally

Skip the dogma and shop by producer and importer. If you like dry, bright reds, start with Beaujolais (Gamay) from producers who value farming first. For skin-contact whites, look for wines that mention maceration time—shorter maceration usually means gentler tannin and cleaner lines. Pét-nats? Embrace a little chaos, chill well, and open over the sink the first time like you would a stubborn kombucha.

Label tells: Organic or biodynamic farming is a strong signal. “Unfined/unfiltered” can hint at texture and cloudiness. Low sulfites are common, but lower isn’t always better—stability matters, especially if you’re shipping or cellaring.

Where Baum lands—and where I’m cheering from the Santa Monica lineup—is that natural wine’s future isn’t about stricter dogma. It’s about better farming, transparent winemaking, and wines that taste alive without tasting like kombucha’s moody cousin.

Best occasion: Casual dinners, beach picnics, vinyl nights. Anywhere you want conversation-starting flavors without tuxedo energy.

Best pairing direction: Keep it flexible—salty snacks, grilled veggies, herby chicken, ramen nights. Think umami and crunch over butter and cream.

The takeaway

Natural wine didn’t sell out; it grew up. The early edge—Loire pét-nat and Beaujolais crunch—expanded into a smarter middle ground: clean farming, light-handed cellars, and a tolerance for personality. As Baum puts it, “The truth… is more complicated than a one-sentence slogan” (Wine-Searcher). Good. Complexity is where wine lives—not in slogans, but in choices.

Source: https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2025/11/the-truth-about-natural-wine?rss=Y