You might be getting curious after seeing so many wines bottles on the shelf of a supermarket that what is behind this bottle of red other than fermented grape juice? These days, people have gathered more and more knowledge about food and drink, where they come from, and how they are produced. But most of us can’t say the same thing about that glass of wine we are having with our food.
Wine is usually made from grapes that go through the process of fermentation producing ethanol, carbon dioxide, and heat. Different varieties of grapes and yeast produce different types of wine. The grapes used in making wine are different than the average grapes you find in a supermarket. Wine grapes are smaller, have thicker skin, sweeter and contain seeds. There are 100s of different types of wine grapes that make up 75 % of vineyards around the world.
The truth is the method of wine production varies from wine to wine, be it organic red wine or natural red wine. To know the difference between natural and organic wines, it is a good idea to have some knowledge about them first.
Organic Wine
A bottle of organic wine is referred to as a wine which is made from organic grapes as you might be able to guess from the term “organic”. These grapes are grown without the use of any pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and herbicides and instead, the use of organic fertilizers is adopted to make sure the crop has a good yield.
One great thing about organic wine is that it is regulated. Wines with organic labels on them are usually controlled and licensed by a third party and the entire process of growing the grapes and processing them is done according to regulated and licensed standards.
Here is a list of some of the best organic wines bottles from 2018 and 2019, along with their cost, that you can have a look at.
Natural Wine
Although natural wine can be made up of organic grapes. The word natural can be quite confusing. The production of natural wine only focuses on the method of processing that is being used.
There is no legal certification for natural wine production and the farmers usually have self-imposed stricter standards. Although made from organic grapes, these standards range from the way the grapes are being picked to no of sulfites or yeasts produced in a laboratory.
A wine called “natural” means it was processed without chemical additives and a minimal amount of human intervention in the vinifying process.
Here is a list of some of the best natural wines that are available on the market right now
To further understand the differences between organic and natural wines, Listed below are 7 differences,
- Natural wine is sometimes cloudy compared to organic wine. This is due to no filtration or fining. Organic wine goes through the process of filtration to remove sediments that occur in it. Although sometimes natural wine can also have a clear sediment-free texture, that all depends on the winemaker and if they leave it for some time to let the sediments and cloudy bits settle at the bottom.
- Although all wines taste different, natural wine usually tastes sourer when compared to a bottle of organic wine. Natural wine normally tastes like cider, this is due to the long fermentation process and the introduction of more oxygen while it ferments, causing it to taste and smell more cidery.
- As compared to natural wines, organic wines are usually filtered to remove sediments from them so they can be clearer. As the use of filtration machines is mostly not adopted, natural wine is left unfiltered. Natural wine is kept away from any kind of human or machine intervention while going through the fermentation process.
- Both natural and organic wines use organic grapes to develop them, but, usually, the process of picking grapes is done strictly by hand for natural wine. Grapes used for natural winemaking are handled with care and a lot of effort is put into picking them from the field. Farmers usually avoid the use of harvesters when cultivating grapes that are typically used for natural winemaking. With organic winemaking, the method with which the grapes are plucked from the grape tress is not of great importance.
- With organic wines, they are controlled and regulated by very strict rules from a third party regulatory organization to get their “organic” certification. With natural wines, they usually don’t follow any type of regulations, it all depends on the grape farmer and winemaker what regulations they follow. Usually, there is an “organic” label on an organic wine bottle to distinguish it from a natural wine bottle.
- Natural wines are usually unstable due to the lack of added sulfites inside them when compared with organic wine. As with organic wines, winemakers sometimes do add sulfites to stabilize them. So, it is a good idea that you finish that bottle of natural wine that you love to drink within a year.
- With natural wine, it is hard to know the amount of alcohol it contains. Usually, the alcohol content in a bottle of natural wine is not regulated as it does not contain any added acids or sugars to reduce alcohol levels. With organic wine, strict rules and regulations are followed and usually, the alcohol content is mentioned on the bottle. Natural wines may end up giving you a bad hangover the next day when you wake up, So, if you are looking for a more pleasant drinking experience you should opt for an organic wine bottle with your desired amount of alcohol percentages.
The Final Words
There is something for everyone the market, whether you want to try organic wine, natural wine or your conventional wine. Although every type of wine tastes different when compared to the other. There is something for everyone on the market that suits their palate. Wines are usually not only made of grapes as there are other fruits like apple, lemons, and oranges that are used in making such types of wines.
If you are a vegan, you should opt for a bottle of organic wine as most of them are vegan-friendly. If you like to test your luck and be a little wild, you could go for that bottle of natural wine that gives you a bad hangover the next day.
Today we have made you aware of some differences between a bottle of natural and organic wine. You can use these differences to find out which type of wine suits your palate the best and have that great wine drinking experience you always wanted.