2# A “rebel” Wine: birth of natural wine.

Foreword

Discovering the roots of natural wines and the winemakers who have embraced them is a fascinating journey into the heart of winemaking and wine philosophy.

Accurately identifying the early architects of this revolution is not an easy task, as many of the practices and beliefs associated with natural wines were intertwined with the winemaking traditions of the past, touching different regions of the world. However, certain personalities, winemakers and producers, certainly contributed significantly to shaping the movement and laying the foundation for what would become a cultural phenomenon of global resonance in the wine world.

Early “natural” winemakers and the phenomenon in Italy.

It has to be admitted, the first steps into the fascinating world of natural wine were definitely taken by the French, including such figures as:

• Marcel Lapierre, was a legend in the universe of quality artisanal wine, known as one of the four rebel winemakers of the 1980s only because they wanted to respect the laws of the natural cycle of the vines, avoiding chemical pesticides and herbicides and exalting biodiversity in the vineyards, his wines expressed terroir authentically and without compromise;
• François Morel, a French winemaker who embodies the art of quality artisanal winemaking. Born and raised in the Beaujolais wine region, Morel has spent much of his life among the vineyards, learning the secrets of the land and how to produce wines that could convey the authenticity and terroir of the region. François Morel’s wines are prized for their elegance and complexity, fruity aromas, lively acidity and balanced structure.
• Nicholas Joly, the owner of the famous Domaine de la Coulée de Serrant in the Loire Valley, who as early as the 1980s abandoned the use of chemicals toward a holistic approach based on the laws of nature. Its commitment to environmental sustainability has inspired many other wineries. Its wines are considered among the best examples of natural wines in the world. They are characterized by complexity, elegance and a deep connection to the earth.
• Jules Chauvet, how can we fail to remember the winemaker who more and before others believed in the purity of terroir expression and in viticulture based on respect for nature, the environment and the natural fermentation process through a progressive reduction of oenological additives. His methods have inspired many natural winemakers around the world, and his 1982 book “La Vinification Naturelle” is considered a foundational text for natural winemakers. Jules Chauvet is recognized as one of the forerunners of the natural wine movement, demonstrating that it is possible to produce exceptional wines in harmony with nature without any oxidation problems or defects.

In all these cases, a goal was being pursued that can be summarized in Chauvet’s revolutionary thinking. At a time when the use of oenological additives and the idea that wine production was primarily a matter of chemistry had already taken over, Chauvet demonstrated that viticulture could embrace an entirely natural approach. His revolutionary discoveries included:

• The cultivation of vines without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers;
• The possibility of achieving spontaneous fermentations, releasing the aromatic potential of the grapes without the use of oenological adjuvants;
• The production of excellent quality wines with minimal use of sulfur dioxide;
• The ability to capture the authentic expression of terroir and grapes, revealing the unique character of each vineyard.

Attention should be paid to the fact that in all these cases the defect (oxidation, reduction) was not regarded as a merit, but the goal of producing excellent wines in the most natural way possible was pursued.

In short, the first natural wines were by no means wines without rules, they were not the result of chaos and neglect; on the contrary, winemakers and producers of natural wines were often even more rigorous in adhering to the rules of a good wine, first and foremost pleasantness while minimizing human intervention.

After the French natural wine revolution, Italy followed suit, making room for this growing movement, also encouraged by the spread of biodynamic practice in viticulture. Early pioneers of natural wines had already emerged in several regions of Italy, including Piedmont, Tuscany and Sicily. In the 1990s, enthusiasm for natural wines began to take hold in Italy, with even more significant growth since the early 2000s. In this evolution, the heart of natural winemakers was, at least in the beginning, focused on enhancing the vitality of the grapes in the vineyards, the motto being “good wine is first made in the vineyard.” In the vineyard the watchword was organic matter, the shared motto was not to fertilize but to vitalize the soil. In the winery, a minimalist approach was pursued that could not but start with spontaneous fermentations.