The Flask & Field Guide to Going Natural
3.3.2021
For many of us, drinking wine in quarantine has become a ritual that is equal parts soul-soothing and uplifting. So for all us wine connoisseurs in the making, the team at Flask and Field brings us the perfect primer on how to choose, enjoy, and pair your next bottle of natural wine.
Although natural may seem like a recent trend, it’s actually one of the most ancient art forms. In short, natural wine means that nothing is added and nothing taken away. That means, no chemical pesticides, no additives, no flavoring, no coloring, no bullshit. What you have then is interesting, small-batch wine that is typically harvested by hand and is nothing short of delicious.
While the high volume and homogeneous nature of mass-produced wine is not inherently a bad thing, it can lead to short-cuts and lack of transparency among those winemakers. Consider that some of the well-known, grocery store wines can rely on cheaper ingredients and raw chemical pesticides, which aren’t revealed anywhere on the label. If you’ve ever had a headache, a stomach ache, or an unusually bad hangover, it’s very likely that the ingredients from those wines would be the culprit.
When choosing a natural wine, simply start with a trusted shop that you love. At Flask & Field, we love chatting with our clients to help them find the perfect bottle. Some people may initially feel put off by this, but we promise you don’t have to be.
Simply have a conversation with the wine expert about what types of wines you like to drink (e.g., light, medium, heavy, red, white), what kind of setting you plan to enjoy it in (e.g., I’m doing a 1,000 piece puzzle with my bestie while eating pepperoni pizza tonight!) and the price point you’d like to stay within (e.g., $20 or lower please!). The rest is up to you. The best kind of drinkers are those who approach each bottle with an open mind and open heart. Remember there is a story of love and adventure in each bottle so think about it as a journey, not a destination.
When it comes to pairing, don’t overthink it and don’t be too precious about it. The goal is to create harmony or some sexy tension. Rich dishes like lasagna beg for red wine high in mouth-drying tannins like Sangiovese. Spicy foods love wine with lower alcohol and a bit of residual sugar, such as Riesling. High acid foods, including chopped salad with lemon vinaigrette, do somersaults when paired with mouth-watering high acid wines like Albariño or Grüner Veltliner! When in doubt, rosé and Champagne pair with almost everything. When pairing with desserts, just make sure the wine is sweeter than the dessert (e.g., Tawny Port) and you’ll be in good hands.
Natural wine can be clean, funky, classic or modern. One size does not fit all! Explore all the styles at Flask and Field and drink better wine. Cheers!