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Natural wine isn't just a beverage. It's a feeling. It's a movement. It's the shakers and it's the tastemakers. It's the rule breakers and rebellious winemakers. It's the pet-nats, the orange wines, the juice, and the glouglou. It's the latest and greatest in wine culture and it's here to put the smack down on those stiff pinky fingers and high price tags of yesteryear. Natural wine is taking us back to the basics and re-introducing the world to a more approachable style of wine. e kind of wine our ancestors used to drink. e kind that puts stars in our eyes and butterflies in our belly. e kind of wine that throws the finicky rules out the window and gives the winemakers freedom to create magic; and you, the consumer, the freedom to enjoy however you choose – no rules, no judgement. So, step aside buttery chardonnay and expensive Napa cabs, natural wine is here to take the world by storm… again. TEXT BY BRITTANY EDGREN WINE STORY What Is It? Okay that's all great, but for real, what is it? Well, to put it simply, natural wine is wine without all the crap in it. It's grapes that have been grown without chemicals, harvested without machines, and fermented without manufactured yeasts. Natural wine uses zero fining, zero filtration, and minimal to no sulfites. It's wine without the red dye, artificial oak flavoring, or added sugars. Nothing has been added and nothing has been taken away. e characteristics of the wine have been influenced solely by the grapes and the ground where they were grown. It's the truest, most honest, expression of wine. It's, quite literally, just fermented grapes. e challenge with natural wine, however, is that it is unpredictable and changes from vintage to vintage. You never quite know what you're going to get, making it difficult to sell in the commercial market. Conventional wineries have mitigated these risks by adding chemicals or manufactured flavors to their wines to make them reliable year aer year for the consumer. e natural wine and cra beverage enthusiasts argue that these additives take away from the essence of the wine, stripping it of its unique character and quality. Natural Wine. KA A NS UF M E N S W E A R C E N T R E 411 Central Avenue, Great Falls 406.761.5010 kaufmansmenswear.com Your Men's Wedding Apparel Headquarters Your Men's Wedding Apparel Headquarters Rent or Purchase for Your Special Day FIND US ON FACEBOOK SiG MT 23 www.pizazzmt.com 401 Central Avenue • Great Falls, MT 406.452.6724