On the meaning of “Natural Wine”: Chad Stock, Limited Addition

What does “Natural Wine” mean? Chad Stock of Limited Addition Wines talks about some of the issues he faces in trying to define his wine and those of others.

“Didier Dagueneau was adding yeast and I don’t see anyone taking issue with that”.

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Video Text: (On the phrase “Natural Wine”) I think it’s really informative but I think it’s a little sloppy because we aren’t all agreeing on what it is. There needs to be a voice that’s delivering the message in a consistent fashion because it is going to exhaust people, otherwise.

I think it is something that needs to be distributed. I think the information needs to be put out there. I think that people still don’t understand that an organic certified, a USDA organic certified wine is still allowed to have additives in it. They focus on the non sulfur element but there are still other things they are allowed to use, which for me its a major difference in the discussion between what is organic and natural wine.

So making people understand that natural wine, from my definition, would be 100% additive free wine. And trying to explain why that is significant and why it can be healthier, why we can argue that wines are more nutritious or that they are more compelling or in some ways superior…which isn’t my stance. I don’t think that natural wines are superior wines, because it is not entirely my preference. I think in some cases, you might look at some of the greatest wines in the world. Didier Dageneau was adding yeast to his Sauvignon Blanc and I don’t see anybody having and issue with that.

Were his wines amazing? Yeah! I don’t know anyone else who is doing anything grander than him and he is adding yeast, but he was fairly hands off in other areas. So I think we just needs some direction. We need a consistent message to deliver to the public and put it out there….and then hopefully the feds will help us, you know what I mean? and create some sort of category there.