“<i>The World of Natural Wine</i> represents a new landmark for the understanding of natural wine. If you want to know about natural wine, you have to read this book.”<br /><b>—Levi Dalton, host of the <i>I’ll Drink to That! Wine Talk</i> podcast</b><br /><br /> “From farming to winemaking, its past and its future, Ayscough has produced an essential addition to natural wine literature.”<br /><b>—Alice Feiring, author of <i>To Fall in Love, Drink This</i></b><br /> <br /> “A must-read for anyone who loves—or hates—natural wines. Ayscough’s very well-researched, highly informative, lucid book gives us the keys to enter the culture and enjoy this galaxy of iconoclastic characters and their wines. Natural wine is much more than no sulfur: it is a hymn to the ever-changing nature of life.”<br /><b>—Pascaline Lepeltier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France</b><br /> <br /> “Ayscough captures an overall snapshot of natural wine, from its inception to where it is now and where it’s heading next. He gives insight into its principles and introduces the vignerons, cavistes, and restaurants whose energetic work behind the bottle has happily brought natural wine to where it is today.”<br /><b>—Jorge Riera, wine director of Frenchette and Le Rock</b><br /> <br /> “Aaron’s book affirms what all lovers of natural wine know instinctively from their first joyous glass—that natural wine is not reducible to a scientific definition or a marketing campaign but is instead the overflowing abundance of humanity itself struggling for solidarity, freedom, and happiness.”<br /><b>—Bradford Taylor, owner of Ordinaire and Diversey Wine</b>
“[<i>The World of Natural Wine</i>] presents natural wine in a clear and comprehensive way that recognizes its complexities. That’s an achievement, and it ought to be warmly received by anybody who is curious about natural wine or already a fan.”<br /><b>—<i>New York Times, The Year’s Best Books on Wine</i></b><br /> <br /> “To understand natural wine and the culture around it, <i>The World of Natural Wine</i> is a must-read.”<br /><b>—Bloomberg, The Year’s Top Books on Wine</b><br /> <br /> “A definitive (and beautifully illustrated) guide to natural wine. . . . No matter how you feel about natural wine, it’s a must read.”<br /><b>—<i>Forbes</i></b><br /> <br /> “<i>The World of Natural Wine</i> does a brilliant job at explaining natural wine from farm to table, what it is and is not.”<br /><b>—<i>The Irish Examiner</i></b><br /> <br /> “Gorgeous.”<br /><b>—TastingTable, Best Cookbooks of the Year</b><br /><br /> “<i>The World of Natural Wine</i> represents a new landmark for the understanding of natural wine. If you want to know about natural wine, you have to read this book.”<br /><b>—Levi Dalton, host of the <i>I’ll Drink to That! Wine Talk</i> podcast</b><br /><br /> “From farming to winemaking, its past and its future, Ayscough has produced an essential addition to natural wine literature.”<br /><b>—Alice Feiring, author of <i>To Fall in Love, Drink This</i></b><br /> <br /> “A must-read for anyone who loves—or hates—natural wines. Ayscough’s very well-researched, highly informative, lucid book gives us the keys to enter the culture and enjoy this galaxy of iconoclastic characters and their wines. Natural wine is much more than no sulfur: it is a hymn to the ever-changing nature of life.”<br /><b>—Pascaline Lepeltier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France</b><br /> <br /> “Ayscough captures an overall snapshot of natural wine, from its inception to where it is now and where it’s heading next. He gives insight into its principles and introduces the vignerons, cavistes, and restaurants whose energetic work behind the bottle has happily brought natural wine to where it is today.”<br /><b>—Jorge Riera, wine director of Frenchette and Le Rock</b><br /> <br /> “Aaron’s book affirms what all lovers of natural wine know instinctively from their first joyous glass—that natural wine is not reducible to a scientific definition or a marketing campaign but is instead the overflowing abundance of humanity itself struggling for solidarity, freedom, and happiness.”<br /><b>—Bradford Taylor, owner of Ordinaire and Diversey Wine</b>
“A definitive (and beautifully illustrated) guide to natural wine. . . . Ayscough debunks any misnomers about natural wine, all while telling the story of some of the world’s most thoughtful, obsessive, and imaginative producers. Outside of makers the book is part resource, part coffee table tome, filled with everything from in-depth looks at winemaking processes to full page images of the faces who make natural wine and the land they work with. He expertly catalogs natural wine’s inception to the lush, living state it is in today. No matter how you feel about natural wine, it’s a must read."<br /> —<b><i>Forbes</i></b><br /><br /> “<i>The World of Natural Wine</i> represents a new landmark for the understanding of natural wine. If you want to know about natural wine, you have to read this book.”<br /><b>—Levi Dalton, host of the <i>I’ll Drink to That! Wine Talk</i> podcast</b><br /><br /> “From farming to winemaking, its past and its future, Ayscough has produced an essential addition to natural wine literature.”<br /><b>—Alice Feiring, author of <i>To Fall in Love, Drink This</i></b><br /> <br /> “A must-read for anyone who loves—or hates—natural wines. Ayscough’s very well-researched, highly informative, lucid book gives us the keys to enter the culture and enjoy this galaxy of iconoclastic characters and their wines. Natural wine is much more than no sulfur: it is a hymn to the ever-changing nature of life.”<br /><b>—Pascaline Lepeltier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France</b><br /> <br /> “Ayscough captures an overall snapshot of natural wine, from its inception to where it is now and where it’s heading next. He gives insight into its principles and introduces the vignerons, cavistes, and restaurants whose energetic work behind the bottle has happily brought natural wine to where it is today.”<br /><b>—Jorge Riera, wine director of Frenchette and Le Rock</b><br /> <br /> “Aaron’s book affirms what all lovers of natural wine know instinctively from their first joyous glass—that natural wine is not reducible to a scientific definition or a marketing campaign but is instead the overflowing abundance of humanity itself struggling for solidarity, freedom, and happiness.”<br /><b>—Bradford Taylor, owner of Ordinaire and Diversey Wine</b>
"A definitive (and beautifully illustrated) guide to natural wine. . . . A must read."-Forbes
Natural wine has nothing to hide. Made from grapes alone-organically farmed, then harvested, fermented, aged, and bottled without additives-it's wine that seeks to express, in every sip, its traditional and crucial link to nature.
The World of Natural Wine is the book wine lovers need to navigate this movement-because it's about so much more than labels and vintages. Meet the obsessive, often outspoken, winemakers; learn about the regions of France where natural wine culture first appeared and continues to flourish today; and explore natural wine in Spain, Italy, Georgia, and beyond.
And just as important: find out what must be "unlearned" to discover the eye-opening pleasures of drinking naturally.
Part I: What’s Natural
Chapter 1: A Way of Thinking About Wine
Chapter 2: How Grapes Are Grown
Chapter 3: How Natural Wine Is Made
Part II: A Pantheon of Natural Wine
The Wines to Know
Chapter 4: The Beaujolais
Chapter 5: The Loire
Chapter 6: The Jura
Chapter 7: Burgundy
Chapter 8: Auvergne
Chapter 9: The Rhône
Chapter 10: Alsace
Chapter 11: Savoie and Bugey
Chapter 12: The Languedoc
Chapter 13: The Roussillon
Chapter 14: Bordeaux and the Southwest
Chapter 15: Provence and Corsica
Chapter 16: Champagne
Chapter 17: Natural Wine in Europe and the Caucasus
Part III: Enjoying Natural Wine
Chapter 18: How to Taste Natural Wine
Chapter 19: How to Serve Natural Wine
Chapter 20: How to Find Natural Wine
Appendices
Acknowledgments
Index