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PhrasesAt a Wine TastingCos'è esattamente il vino naturale?
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Cos'è esattamente il vino naturale?

What exactly is natural wine?

Pronunciation

Naturale: nah-too-RAH-leh. Stress on the third syllable.

When to use it

Ask at a wine bar or natural wine producer. The term is controversial — no legal definition exists, and opinions are strong. Prepare for a passionate answer.

What it means

Cos'è esattamente means 'what exactly is'. Naturale in wine context means minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar — typically organic farming, native yeasts, no additives, unfined and unfiltered.

Variations

Il vino naturale è sempre torbido?

Is natural wine always cloudy?

Not necessarily — but unfined wines often have slight turbidity.

I vini biodinamici seguono il calendario lunare?

Do biodynamic wines follow the lunar calendar?

Yes — biodynamic farming (Rudolf Steiner) uses lunar cycles for vineyard work.

Preferisco il vino convenzionale. È più stabile.

I prefer conventional wine. It's more stable.

A valid preference — natural wines can be unpredictable.

Mini Dialogue

— Cos'è esattamente il vino naturale? — Non esiste una definizione legale. In genere: uva biologica, lieviti indigeni, zero solfiti aggiunti. — È migliore del vino convenzionale? — Diverso, non per forza migliore. Dipende dal produttore.

— What exactly is natural wine? — There's no legal definition. Generally: organic grapes, indigenous yeasts, zero added sulphites. — Is it better than conventional wine? — Different, not necessarily better. It depends on the producer.

Cultural Note

The natural wine movement in Italy is strongest in Friuli (orange wines), Emilia-Romagna, and Campania. The VinNatur fair in Gambellara and Vinitaly's natural wine area (VinItaly) draw global attention. Italian orange wine — white wine made with extended skin contact — is among the world's most sought-after.