Natural vs Organic Wine: What’s the Difference?

The quick answer:

Organic wine = Industrial methods, certified grapes, but winemakers can still add yeast, sulphites, and processing agents.

Natural wine = Grapes grown without chemicals; spontaneous, wild fermentation; unfiltered, unrefined wine; no additives whatsoever — pure fermented grape juice.

That would be the quick description. For a more detailed account, keep reading.

Organic wine: certified, but…?

Organic wine refers to wine made from certified organic grapes, meaning:

No synthetic pesticides or herbicides in the vineyard
Certified by official organic bodies (EU, USDA, etc.)

But here’s the key insight: organic processes and certification are designed for industrial operations. Within this framework, organic winemaking still allows chemical and industrial additives. That means large amounts of sulphites, lab-cultured yeasts, and other processing aids can be used — and these are hard for the human body to process and definitely not healthy.

Natural wine: the original method, and now a philosophy

People were making wine long before industry existed. The original wine was simply a product of grape fermentation, and what we now call natural wine strives to be the same thing. It's wine made with the original methods that were used before industrialisation — no large-scale processes or chemical additives.

The natural way of grape fermentation was first discovered by people living in Sakartvelo (საქართველო, or Georgia), around 8000 years ago. The method they invented is called qvevri fermentation (read more about Georgian traditions and qvevri winemaking). These huge clay vessels are a unique invention and together with winemaking as an art are currently acknowledged by UNESCO as cultural heritage of the world from Georgia.

Today, there is no international official body that regulates or certifies natural winemaking. Local organizations exist in most countries, but they all have slightly different rules. That’s why I prefer to call it more of a philosophy than a certification — each winemaker decides what they call natural.

In Georgia, the regulations are strict and allow almost no additives. The only exception is the use of organic sulphites. The reality is, sometimes grape fermentation doesn’t yield enough natural preservatives to keep the wine stable during travel. To ensure it can be stored and shipped, a tiny bit of sulphites is added - about 50 times less than in industrial wines. This makes it possible to deliver drinkable wine around the world; otherwise, it could only be enjoyed very locally. So the wines with added sulphites don't really need them, we need them for making sure they are drinkable around the world. In our shop, you will find some with 0 added sulphites, and some with only 10-15 mg/L.

To summarise, some basic principles include:
✅ Naturally grown grapes, no pesticides or herbicides
✅ Wild yeast fermentation, as in natural yeasts that live on grape skin
✅ Usually unfiltered, unrefined
✅ 0 or necessary amounts of added sulphites

The result? Wine (natural wine) - a living, raw expression of the grape, the terroir, the season, the sun, the flora around, the culture, the history, and more and more... with an unmatched diversity and uniqueness of taste, color, aroma, etc.

Here is our selection of wines - natural, handmade, artisanal:
Shop our natural wines →

Some practical advice:

How to spot what's what on a label:

Natural wine → No global certification yet; look for cues like “unfiltered,” “no added sulphites,” or ask your merchant.
Organic wine → Look for official seals: EU organic leaf, USDA Organic.
Numbers matter: Sulphite levels give a reliable clue.
- Conventional wines may contain up to 200 mg/L total SO₂.
- Organic wines range between 70–120 mg/L.
- Natural wines, when they use sulphites at all, usually sit around 10–30 mg/L.

This contrast is measurable by how your body feels, and often disclosed on the label.

Visual indicators: Cloudiness or sediment suggests minimal filtration. Amber/orange tint in white wines hints at skin contact, common in naturally made wines (these are not rules, but useful heuristics).
Language on back labels: Terms like “hand-harvested,” “minimal intervention,” “native fermentation,” or “no fining/filtration” are hallmarks. Be wary of greenwashing phrases like “crafted” or “authentic” without detail.
Best check: Merchants and importers. Reputable natural wine shops usually curate and vet producers. In the absence of certification, the chain of trust replaces the label.

Our philosophy:

At Kinto Natural, our mantra is: you are what you drink. Since humans are natural, we prefer to stay that way. In a heavily industrial world, we try to avoid chemicals whenever possible. That’s why we decided to create a bridge between truly natural winemakers and big cities and communities — so everyone can choose natural. Our job is to strengthen that bridge every day. We seek out farmers, viticulturists, and winemakers who love the art of winemaking, and we do our best to bring their wines to you with the smallest footprint possible.

PS. A very often used word: "funky", and it's context

It’s worth noting this one specific word — funky. We hear it a lot around natural wine, and it has come to mean wine that tastes unconventional — more out there, more yeasty, more cidery. This can definitely be the case, or it can also happen when a wine is spoiled or diseased but still called funky. But it’s definitely not the goal of any winemaker I know to make funky wines. Many natural wines taste quite pleasant and close to what people are used to. The goal is to express a taste, not to model it.

For example our more funky wines: