WHAT DIFFERENCES FROM THE WINE WE KNOW?

In fact, natural wines are the ancestors of the wines we are consuming now. But now we need to prepare ourselves for a taste that is very different from the wine taste we are used to, with the effects of technical solutions, tools and expertise used by the wine industry, which has reached an enormous size. Nowadays, we all question our nutritional approaches, look for alternatives to processed food solutions, and prioritize integrating a healthier and sustainable method into our lives. One of the sub-titles of this overview is, of course, the nature of wine.

We should see the natural wine trend emerging today as a reaction to the approach of the wine industry mentioned above. In a sense, it is a challenge that production can be made without enduring the distinctive barrel aromas created by aging in oak barrels, without using the additives used to make the production process more comfortable and guaranteed.

If you wish, let's first take a look at the features of the product that we describe as natural wine. Although there is no official recipe for natural wine, we can find clues in the book "The Oxford Companion to Wine", which is one of the main reference sources of the wine world.

Distinctive Features of Natural Wines:

• It is prepared with the products of small-scale, self-employed grape producers.
• Hand-picked grapes from the vines of sustainable, organic or biodynamic vineyards are used.
• It is prepared with natural yeast.
• No additional materials are used during the fermentation process.
• Limited use of sulfite is possible, it is expected that it will not be used at all.

So, what will we face when we come across natural wine?

When we look at the external appearance of natural wines, the first thing that catches our eye on most of them is probably their turbidity. It is possible to feel a weaker fruity aroma, a more pronounced yeast taste (perhaps it is possible to describe this taste as yogurt) compared to the wines we are used to. Our flavor maps will position natural wine closer to sour flavors. Of course, if we say that's all, there are some examples with clear fruit flavors.

How Are Natural Wines Produced?

Let's briefly introduce the three prominent methods in natural wine production:

• Orange Wine: It is actually white wine, but during fermentation, the skin and seeds are left inside, as if red wine is made. Wines produced with the production techniques of ancient times, take on a darker color with the effect of shells and seeds, and are kept in tanks or earthen pots.
• Pet Nat: It is a form of sparkling wine production with low alcohol and slightly weaker gas ratio by using old methods. It emerged in France and quickly spread among manufacturers operating in this field.
• Col Fondo Prosecco: The wines are kept in pressurized tanks in the second stage of production so that the sparkling proseccos that we all drink with pleasure are formed. In Col Fondo Prosecco, these foams are obtained by keeping them in bottles. We know that this method has a history of at least a thousand years. Today's reactionary producers produce their alternative natural wines using this ancient method.

Final Word About Natural Wines:

In the Turkish wine world, which has been revived in recent years, there are few examples that we can put under the title of natural wine. We include the local natural wine samples that we can reach in the WAYANA menu, it makes us very happy to share them with our curious friends. If you are going to buy natural wine and consume it at home, we recommend that you drink it without waiting too long, because it does not contain any preservatives, they can age quickly.