We all want to drink a healthy wine, so what is it? Most wines are made from grapes that have been treated with chemicals to reduce their acidity. These can be found in the layers closest to the skin and blossom of the grape. The vino naturale philosophy is that wine should be made without any such chemicals and that it should be as natural as possible.
Vito Graziano is a supporter of vino naturale. He grows his own grapes at the Vigna Degli Sogni vineyard in Funo di Argelato, near Bologna, where he makes his own wine with natural products. His discovery of vino naturale came about when he broke his elbow in 2000. He was asked to go on a low-impact diet so took to drinking wine. He soon found the wines he was drinking were acidic, so he started making his own with natural products that had done no harm to him or the environment.
Vino naturale is one of the few wine styles that can be made in Italy with no chemicals. The most common products used by growers to make the wine like wine-friendly yeast and enzymes are all-natural. These products work by inciting the fermentation process, drawing out winemakers from using chemical additives to stimulate the process.
In addition to these, vino naturale uses a variety of other natural substances supervised by a group of experts from the Chamber of Agriculture which must be met in order for a product to be labeled vino naturale. This includes things such as grape varieties, other herbs and berries besides grapes, and even a small amount of local wild olive oil.
The people who drink vino naturale are prescribed it by their doctors. Winemaker Vito Graziano believes that the interest in natural wine is growing. He said that “people want to know what they are eating and drinking, and they want to know where it comes from.”
Zamorano Eccellenze Italiane- Discover the world of natural wines
Zamorano Eccellenze Italiane is a wine classification in Italy. It groups a group of Italian wine-producing regions that have a “vino naturale” label, which means that it contains no chemicals, is made from natural products, and does not need to be certified by an organization. These wines may contain up to 0.5% of natural oils and nutraceuticals from the vineyard. They must be aged at a minimum of 12 months, and a maximum of 72 months.
The classification system was devised in 2002 by the Chamber of Agriculture, with the purpose of presenting wines produced from native grapes. It is administered by an office of the Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Forestry. In 2003 there were 110 wines that received this classification. In 2008 there were 223 wines that had received this label. The wines that receive this label are protected under EU Regulation 479/2008.
The philosophy behind “vino naturale” is that wine should be as natural as possible. The basic ingredients of wines must come from the members of the consortium and must be made with free-run juice, no chemical additives, and no animal products. The use of some natural yeast and enzymes is allowed.
