There are so many phrases floating about in the wine community these days, from organic wine to natural wine, biodynamic wine and everything else in between. But just what do these different wine types actually mean for the average consumer?

Isn’t all wine organic?

The very short and sweet answer to this is, no. The official stance from the EU is that a wine can only be defined as ‘Organic’ when it has been produced according to the regulations and standards set out by the Regulation of the European Commission. This states that the grapes must come from organically farmed vineyards, and once in the cellar the grapes have to be processed in a natural way. In a nutshell, the wine must be made from exclusively organic grapes, dealt with by organic processes and must be as natural as it can be in the bottle. Organic wine is basically a wine that is as natural and full of the earth’s goodness as it can get. 

Since 2012, there’s a law which provides parameters for winemakers which includes things such as maximum sulphite content and the prohibition of things like sorbic acid and desulfurisation. 

Biodynamic Wine

Biodynamics takes the concept of organic agriculture and drive it forward in a much more holistic approach. Whilst organic farming bans the use of synthetic products, biodynamic farming goes one step further – prescribing the use of the eight ‘preparations’ to enhance the life of the soil and to protect against vine diseases. 

This movement was originally set out by Austrain Scientist and Philosopher Rudolph Steiner in 1924; he brought together scientific farming methods and farming in the spirit of nature. The biodynamic approach works well in regions where simply abstaining from using chemicals is not always the best solution for the vines. It is also safe to say that this use of nature in order to sustain vine health and growth is immeasurably better than chemical alternatives – this applies to not only the vineyards and the wine, but to the human consumers too. 

Taste the Difference?

In terms of being able to taste the difference between organic wine and biodynamic wine, scientifically you can’t. However, most wine connoisseurs will be able to pick up on the finer tasting notes and the enhanced vitality that comes with organic wines.

So, Natural Wine?

This a more of a buzz-word phrase at the moment, with some good buzz, and some not-so good buzz. These musings are mostly borne from the lack of definition surrounding the topic of natural wine.

Natural wine is made from either organically or biodynamically farmed grapes that are then processed as little as possible before going into the bottle. Natural wines are known for tasting a little bit ‘wild’ and ‘earthy’; and they are as far from standard commercial shop wine as you can get. As with all wines, there are going to be good and bad varieties, it’s all about trying different ones, from different vineyards to find one that you love. With the popularity jump in natural wines over the past few years, they have only improved – with dedicated artisan winemakers producing bottles of true magic.