The Natural Wine Ruse: Why We Need to Keep Asking the Right Questions
It’s frustrating when companies—or individuals—profess to be ethical, only to cash in on exploitation, pretending to align with our values while compromising them at every turn. We've all been there: buying into a product that sounds like it’s all about sustainability, fairness, and integrity, only to realize it’s just another well-marketed scam. In 2020, as secrets tumble out of closets like they're on a conveyor belt, it’s clear: it’s about time we start looking a little deeper.
The rise of misinformation in print and media only reinforces the old adage: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." And when the world of natural wine—the very movement built on authenticity, land respect, and transparency—gets tainted by corporate greed, the betrayal stings harder. This movement was supposed to be about reconnecting with the earth and supporting small, family-run farms that produce wine with real soul, not industrialized agriculture in disguise.
Sounds lofty, right? Maybe even a little idealistic. But it’s not all that far-fetched. We were supposed to be choosing the "slow life" over the quick-money grab. That’s what natural wine was supposed to stand for.
Then came the rise of a certain producer from Puglia, making trendy wines in 1-liter bottles with hazy pinks and oranges that had social media buzzing. It was the perfect storm: a cool new wine, cheap by natural wine standards (~$25 per liter), and all over Instagram, with purple hair and a perfectly curated online persona. But it wasn’t long before cracks began to show.
The producer's father, it turned out, was embroiled in a massive lawsuit over the abuse of vineyard workers, with conditions bordering on slave labor. While she denied direct involvement, it’s hard to imagine she didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes. This is the real issue with the so-called "natural" wine boom: the idea that just because a wine is made without chemicals, it’s somehow free from the systemic problems of exploitation that run through every corner of agriculture, including grapes. It’s a sobering reminder that nothing is immune from compromise—especially when money is involved.
Workers' rights and labor unions, which emerged in the 1800s due to widespread exploitation, didn’t just fight for cotton-pickers and factory workers. They fought for everyone whose labor was being exploited, including vineyard workers, many of whom are migrant workers or, worse, unpaid interns. People are out there picking grapes under brutal conditions—often for very little money, sometimes for none at all. Most of us are aware of the abuses in industries like coffee, rice, and cotton, but we tend to overlook the human cost in the wine industry. The truth is, those hands that pick your grapes? They deserve fair wages and safe working conditions.
It’s crucial that we start thinking about the ethical implications of the wines we buy—natural or otherwise. Supporting the movement for ethical farming practices isn’t just about choosing organic or biodynamic labels. It’s about asking questions: Who's growing your wine? How are the workers treated? Are they being paid a living wage? Are the vineyards being farmed sustainably or just slapped with the "natural" label to capitalize on a trend?
In the end, the best advice is simple: vote with your dollars. Every bottle you buy is a chance to support a vineyard that genuinely aligns with your values. It’s about finding producers who are committed to farming cleanly, treating workers fairly, and refusing to cut corners in ways that harm both the land and people.
Natural wine should be a celebration of connection—to the land, to the people who nurture it, and to the end consumer. Let’s make sure it stays that way.
