Where to drink natural wines in Florence? Let’s first discover a brief overview of Italian natural wine history.
“Vanilla (very oaked ed.) wines are worse than plastic surgery because while plastic surgery alters only the body, wine loses its soul with added aromas.” This is one of the most famous quotes from “Mondovino” (2004), the iconic movie by the french-american documentarist Jonathan Nossiter exploring the impact of globalization on the wine world.
Natural wine is more than just a trend in Italy; the movement boasts several pioneers from the postwar period, but has gained a solid identity from the beginning of the 2000s. Since, it has been radically changing the way wine is conceived, not only in terms of flavor but also from a political perspective.
By using organic or biodynamic methods, these wines remain free from pesticides and herbicides, resulting in a product that is not only healthier and environmentally friendly but also has a unique taste that genuinely reflects the authenticity of the terroir – the mix of soil, climate, and local grape varieties.
Unlike conventional winemaking, which at times includes the use of additives to manipulate the wine’s taste and appearance, natural winemaking lets the grapes and terroir speak for themselves.
Additionally, it is a way to support small, independent wineries, unlike the mass-produced wines from large corporations that dominate the market. Some of the Italian key wineries that have contributed to this movement are Emidio Pepe, Lino Maga, Rinaldi, Soldera, Valentini, Dettori, Gravner, Oasi degli Angeli, La Stoppa, Luigi Tecce, Cascina degli Ulivi, Angiolino Maule, and more recently Arianna Occhipinti, Stefano Amerighi, and Walter Massa, among many others.