Leslie Williams: An expert's guide to natural wines
Natural wine frequently tastes beguiling and utterly delicious
This week I am going to look closer at ‘natural’ wine and I have some recommendations — apologies for not finding any natural wines under €15. This column is inspired by The World of Natural Wine by Aaron Ayscough (€30 via BookDepository or Amazon) which I recommend you order from your local bookstore (stocks seem to be taking a while to get here) — a couple of this week’s wines feature in the book.
The World of Natural Wine does a brilliant job at explaining natural wine from farm to table, what it is and is not, but even Ayscough has trouble with an exact definition — natural winemakers do not like following rules laid down by others.
‘A beverage and a culture’ is one phrase he uses and this is a good starting point. Natural wine encourages us to think not just about flavour but about who made the wine, where it was made and how it was made.
Generally, a wine is ‘natural’ if it has been made from organic grapes with wild yeasts, and is free from additives.
Natural wines crucially have zero or very little sulphur dioxide added at bottling and this does mean a natural wine runs a higher risk of ‘flaws’.
However, as Ayscough is at pains to point out, these ‘flaws’ can also be considered part of the natural biome of a wine and plenty of wines made conventionally have the exact same issues.
Ayscough’s bottom line is largely ‘how was the wine made?’, my focus is largely ‘does it taste good’.
However, natural wine frequently tastes beguiling and utterly delicious.
Even ‘funkier’ natural wines can be delicious, and I am fine with some brett or volatile acidity provided they don’t overwhelm. Ayscough agrees (somewhat), but I know we would argue about how much is too much.
The book is a guide to winemaking and great winemakers as much as a treatise — and you do not have to follow all his suggestions like ditching your Zalto glasses or forgiving mousy wines because they are just ‘having a bad day!’
Finally don’t be scared of the long list of potential additives in conventional wine, most are used very sparingly if at all.
Stockists: Quay Co-Op; MacCurtain St. Wine Cellar; Mannings Ballylickey; Little Green Grocer; Urru; Organico.
Primarily from Xarel-lo grapes from vines planted in the 1940s and 50s. Skin contact fermentation on natural yeasts, ageing in amphora on lees for 6 months. Aromas of lemon and tangerine fruits with peach touches, zesty lemon and apple on the palate, textured and layered with bitter fruits and cream soda combined. Delicious.
Stockists: MacCurtain St.; Next Door Westport; Sheridans Galway, Dublin & Meath - www.sheridanscheesemongers.com; SIYPS.com
From a family run biodynamic estate in the same hands since 1771, run by a brother and sister using amphora and traditional methods - they even have a shepherd and a herd of sheep. This is warmly fruited and richly textured, with ripe, spice-tinged red fruits - lively freshness and purity at a great price.
Stockists: l’Attitude 51; Green Man Wines; Le Caveau www.lecaveau.ie
From the ‘Les Vignerons d’Estezargues’ co-op which was an early adopter of natural wine principles and features in Ascough’s book - I visited once and was hugely impressed. This has beautifully pure flavours with dark cherry fruits, lively sweet plums mixed with pepper and tobacco touches and a pleasing savoury intensity.
Stockists: MacCurtain St, Bradleys, The Corkscrew www.thecorkscrew.ie, Blackrock Cellar, Green Man, Baggot St. Wines..
From a higher elevation vineyard planted with 85% Merlot from one of France’s organic/biodynamic pioneers. This is as ‘natural’ as Bordeaux wine gets with ripe blackberry aromas, a delightfully fruity and soft plum palate, and with a pleasing freshness and drinkability. Le Puy always has fine-focused energy and purity, something Bordeaux needs more of - worth its reputation.
Stockists: L’Atitude 51, Bradleys, Green Man Wines, Le Caveau www.lecaveau.ie
Natural wine enthusiasts are not that bothered by Champagne but have instead embraced Pet-Nat (pétillant-natural) which finishes its primary ferment in the bottle (so expect lees flavours). This is packed with yeasty over-ripe pear and apple pie flavours rather than the usual peaches and cream. Also watch for the Rosso Colfondo which has a pleasing cranberry kick.
Stockists: GreenMan Wines; Gibney's; Blackrock Cellar; Elm Epicurean; GreenManWines.ie
One of the most remarkable biodynamic estates I’ve visited, a whole ecosystem rather than a mere vineyard. This is better than many a Champagne costing 60% more, complex layered brioche and lemon scents, taut and fine on the palate with almonds, lemon curd and tropical touches and a dry zesty finish.
Stockists: Sage Stores Midleton; L’Atitude 51; Pop-up Wine Shop Ballymaloe; Le Caveau Kilkenny, StationtoStationWine.ie; Blackrock Cellars.
This is the first Perry I’ve ever featured but this is no ordinary cider from Eric Bordelet, former sommelier at Alain Passard’s l'Arpège in Paris.
From his 300-year-old biodynamically farmed orchards in southern Normandy this is made from 17 varieties of pear, manually harvested and sorted.
Oeil de Perdrix dusky pink colour, ripe pear and baked apple aromas with a touch of yeasty complexity in the background. Zippy, dry and crisp on the palate with juicy pear fruits balanced by a light tannic structure and clean acidity.
This would make a delightful apéritif on Christmas morning or at any time.
