Natural Wines vs Organic Wines

3 min read

Key Takeaways

• Organic wine is made from grapes grown without synthetic chemicals and is usually certified, but it may still include additives like sulphites during winemaking.
• Natural wine is minimally processed, often unfiltered, and made without additives. It typically uses wild yeast and has no official certification standard.
• The main difference lies in cellar practices: organic wine focuses on vineyard health, while natural wine emphasises hands-off winemaking.
• Choose organic wine for clean, classic flavour with eco-certification; choose natural wine if you enjoy funky, raw, and experimental styles.

As more wine lovers look for bottles that are cleaner, healthier, or more sustainably made, terms like natural wine and organic wine have gained a lot of attention. But what do they actually mean and are they the same thing?

While both natural and organic wines reflect a lower-intervention approach to winemaking, they’re not interchangeable. In fact, the difference lies in how the grapes are grown and what happens in the cellar. This guide breaks down the key differences so you can choose the wine that best fits your preferences and values.

What Is Organic Wine?

Organic wine is made from grapes grown without synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Organic viticulture focuses on promoting soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable practices. Many winemakers choose organic farming to reduce environmental impact and produce grapes in their most natural state.

In Australia, as in other countries, organic certification is regulated by third-party bodies. To be labelled as "organic wine," the wine must meet specific requirements that apply to both the vineyard and, in some cases, the winery.

However, a key point to note: organic wine may still contain added sulphites, depending on the region and certification body. Sulphites are used to preserve freshness and prevent spoilage, common even in many organic wines unless explicitly labelled “no added sulphites.”

What Is Natural Wine?

Natural wine goes a step further. While it often begins with organically or biodynamically grown grapes, natural wine is primarily defined by what happens or rather, doesn’t happen, in the cellar.

Natural winemakers avoid additives, preservatives, filtering, or any heavy manipulation of the wine. Instead, they typically:

• Use wild yeast for fermentation
  
• Avoid sulphur additions or use minimal levels
  
• Skip filtration and fining
  
• Let the wine evolve on its own

Because of this minimal-intervention approach, natural wines often appear cloudy or textured, and they may have funky, earthy, or sour notes not found in conventional wines. Some people love this raw character, while others find it an acquired taste.

It’s important to note: natural wine isn’t regulated by a global standard. So unlike organic wine, it doesn’t require certification, which can make labelling a bit more confusing.

Key Difference Between Natural and Organic Wine

While both wine types start with organically grown grapes, their key difference lies in the winemaking process.

Here’s a quick comparison:

In short: all natural wines are (usually) made from organic grapes, but not all organic wines are natural.

Should You Choose Natural or Organic Wine?

The right choice depends on what you value most: consistency and certification, or character and raw expression.

• Choose organic wine if you’re looking for a cleaner farming process and prefer wines that taste classic, polished, and fruit-driven. It’s also ideal if you want a wine with recognised certification and lower chemical inputs.
  
• Choose natural wine if you enjoy bold, experimental styles and want to explore winemaking in its rawest form. It’s perfect for adventurous drinkers and those who value minimal processing above all else.

If you’re new to either category, start by trying a few bottles from different producers you might be surprised which one becomes your new favourite.

Organic vs Natural Wines in a Glass

Both organic and natural wines reflect a movement towards greater transparency, sustainability, and purity in winemaking. Organic wines offer cleaner farming with consistent results, while natural wines express wild, unfiltered individuality. Whichever path you choose, you're supporting a more thoughtful approach to wine one that's as rewarding for the planet as it is for your palate.

Looking to explore low-intervention wines? At World Wine, we offer a carefully curated range of organic and natural-style wines from renowned and emerging producers. Got questions? Contact us and we’ll guide you to your perfect bottle.