The Rise of Natural Greek Wines

For those not familiar with the term, natural wines are those produced with little to no intervention. Also, vineyards that practice organic farming methods don’t add any sulphites (mainly SO2 sulfur dioxide), and they don’t apply any yeast, stabilisers or enzymes as well. The trend goes hand in hand with the generalised tendency for customers to demand more natural and organic products, whether it be food or other consumer products.

And even though many wine producers who are making more conventional labels may find the name misleading – the term natural wines doesn’t mean that regular wines are ‘unnatural’ and therefore inferior, but rather that emphasis is placed on the winery and not on the raw material itself – natural wines are a new trend that is gaining momentum on a larger scale. The establishment of the Raw Wine Fair, a two-day celebration of natural, organic and biodynamic wines that started in London and has now spread to New York, Los Angeles and Berlin, is evidence of this. The event is the opportunity for winemakers from around the world who utilise these natural methods to showcase their products and for any visitor to taste them.

While Greece may have to wait for a while before it has its own natural wine fair (or not, who knows), more and more Greek winemakers have been producing delicious and characteristic natural wines that deserve to be recognised beyond our borders. Oenorama is an annual wine festival giving visitors the opportunity to discover the fascinating world of Greek wines, and you may encounter some producers catering to the raw wine lovers. However, to help you on your raw wine adventure, here is a small list of some of the Greek natural winemakers you should try the next time you fancy something different. Greece and Grapes has also compiled a list of Greek organic and natural wines, if you wish to find specific labels.