While the wine sector continues to argue about the legitimacy of natural wines, wine enthusiasts are not interested in technical issues and continue to drink them.
Consumption and interest in wines produced by winemakers who reduce interventions in the vineyard and cellar to the minimum has never stopped growing, dictating a trend towards a “lighter” viticulture which is influencing the whole sector.
The definition of natural wine is as vague in formal terms, there is no legislation either at Italian or European level, as it is precise and shared by consumers, for whom natural wine is that produced following the natural method for which there is also a definition on Wikipedia as “a wine that is made from organic grapes, through spontaneous fermentation of the must, without the addition of other substances, with the possible exception of small quantities of sulfur dioxide, also prohibiting the use of invasive procedures.”
In an hyper-regulated sector, which seeks the comfort of the rules, natural wine also stands out for the strong relationship of trust between winemakers and consumers who share the basic principles of natural wine production, with limited variations in the specifications of the various voluntary associations of producers.
Will this scenario be able to continue as the market size increase and even large companies move towards natural wine?
While waiting for the recognition of the natural method also by the bodies and institutions that govern the wine sector, we will be able to enjoy the excitement that characterizes this segment of the wine world with the fourth edition of Vini Selvaggi (Wild Wines), organized in Rome for the next 10 and March 11th by Lorenzo Macinanti, owner of Solovino Enoteca Naturale, Giulia Arimattei and Francesco Testa.
An independent fair that “aims to bring together the best producers of natural wine every year with the aim of bringing them together with importers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, associations, specialized press and everything that revolves around the world of wine. Last but not least, the public of enthusiasts is always welcome at our events”, as Giulia Arimattei explains.
A dual audience, practitioners and enthusiasts, which confirms the expansion of the natural wine market and the consequent structuring of its offer, beyond the direct winemaker-consumer relationship.
The distributors So2, Auro, Soif, Gitana, Dissociazioni Enologico, Supernaturale, Tannarte, Natives, Wine Governo and That’s Wine have confirmed their presence at Vini Selvaggi.
In the Spazio Novecento of the EUR district there will be 120 winemakers from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Germany, Slovakia, Poland, France and Albania selected by the organizers. A selection which, as Francesco Testa recalls, was made “preferring only those realities that produce natural wines through agricultural gestures, work in the countryside and care of the landscape”.
This year Vini Selvaggi also becomes a moment of sharing and discussion with the novelty of the talks with the Presidents of the associations “ViTe – Vignaioli e Territori” and “VAN – Vignaioli Artigiani Naturali” to develop a common path of sharing on themes such as the agriculture of the future and a wine production that can approach contemporary taste, without moving away from tradition and territory.
According to Lorenzo Macinanti, the growth of the natural wine market will necessarily lead to greater regulation: “In addition to the Italian experiences, I think it is interesting to look at the experience of the Syndicate for the defense of natural wines founded in France in 2019 because it brings together all the actors of the supply chain and not just the winemakers and because it certifies the individual wines and not the company. In this way it leaves producers the flexibility of the production method to be adopted in particularly difficult years from a climatic point of view without having to resort to exceptions which end up complicating the regulations and controls. It should also be remembered that the Syndicate for the defense of natural wines was able to dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture and the INAO – National Institute of Origin and Quality to evaluate the application of the specification within the current wine regulatory system.”
For the food matching, the collaboration with Trapizzino by Stefano Callegari and Paul Pansera has been confirmed, while the contemporary and innovative menus of Ritmo (Monteverde) and Ruvido (Appio-Latino) will offer a glimpse into the new wave of wine bars with cuisine in the capital .
The opening hours of Vini Selvaggi are from 12:00 to 20:00 on Sunday 10 and Monday 11 March.
The price of the entrance ticket is €15 for horeca operators, while for enthusiasts it is €25 for a single day or €45 for both days. All the information can be found on www.viniselvaggi.com
