Moxie Vino

What is natural wine?

Natural wine is wine made with as little intervention as possible: organically grown grapes, wild yeast, and little or nothing added, which often makes it fresher, funkier and less predictable than regular wine.

There is no legal definition of natural wine in the US, so it is more of a philosophy than a rule. The general idea is grapes grown without synthetic chemicals and turned into wine without adding much of anything. Some natural wines are thrilling, some are weird, and a few are just faulty. Here is how to find the good ones.

Tastes like
Bright, juicy fruit; sometimes cider-like or a little funky
Legal definition
None in the US; "organic" is regulated, "natural" is not
Price range
About $20 to $40
Where to buy
Independent wine shops, natural wine bars, online
Bodylight → big
Sweetnessdry → sweet
Zingsoft → zippy
Gripsmooth → grippy

What "natural" usually means

Most natural winemakers farm organically, ferment with the wild yeast already on the grapes, and skip things like added sugar, acid, color or oak chips. Many use very little sulfite, a preservative that almost every winemaker adds to keep wine stable.

Because so little is controlled, natural wine can vary a lot from bottle to bottle. That is part of the fun for fans, and the main complaint from skeptics.

How to spot it on the shelf

Look for words like "low intervention," "unfined and unfiltered," "wild ferment," "no added sulfites," or "pét-nat" (a cloudy, lightly fizzy style). Hand-drawn or arty labels are common too, though that is not a guarantee.

The certified-organic seal tells you about the farming, not the winemaking. A wine can be organic without being natural.

Is natural wine healthier?

There is no good evidence that natural wine is better for you or causes fewer headaches. It still contains alcohol like any other wine. Drink it because you like how it tastes, not because of a health promise.

How to serve and store it

Lots of natural reds are light and taste great with a short chill, about 20 minutes in the fridge. Keep unopened bottles somewhere cool and dark, since wines with low sulfites are more sensitive to heat.

Once opened, finish it within a day or two. Natural wines can change quickly in the glass, sometimes for the better.

Natural wines worth trying

  • Broc Cellars Love Red

    about $25

    Carignan blend

    A bright, easy California red and a great first natural wine. Chill it a little and drink it with tacos.

  • Las Jaras Glou Glou

    about $28

    Red blend

    "Glou glou" is French slang for gulpable, and that is the point. Light, juicy and made for a chilled glass on a warm night.

  • Marcel Lapierre Morgon

    about $35

    Gamay

    From one of the families that started the modern natural wine movement in Beaujolais. Silky, pure cherry, and a classic for good reason.

  • Pheasant's Tears Saperavi

    about $22

    Saperavi

    A deep, dark Georgian red made the ancient way in clay jars. Bolder than most natural wines, good with grilled meat.

  • Donkey & Goat Stone Crusher Roussanne

    about $35

    Roussanne

    A skin-contact white from a Berkeley winery known for low-intervention wine. Savory with a little grip, so it doubles as an orange wine.

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Last checked 2026-10-04.