Natural Wine Month
Throughout May our Sommelier, Craig, will serve guests a variety of natural wines by the glass, introducing them to their quirky complex, and lighter textures.
Sample menu only, view current menus.
Real Wine Month is celebrated nationally during May highlighting organic, biodynamic and natural wines made by artisan growers and winemakers. And we will be taking the opportunity to showcase our diverse and renowned natural wine list.
Reading Restaurant Natural Wine Month
Throughout May our Sommelier, Craig, will serve guests a variety of natural wines by the glass, introducing them to their quirky, complex, and lighter textures. Craig has worked closely with Head Chef Nick to pair natural wines from France, Italy and Greece with the L’Ortolan Menu.
We asked Craig what makes wine ‘natural’?
In the past all wines were ‘Natural Style’ and it wasn’t until the advent of modern wine making methods that this style of wine fell out of favour. The largest benefit of modern wines is how they end up preserved in the bottle, allowing some to age for decades and still be drinkable.
Natural wines on the other hand are best drunk young. There is now a surge of wines makers returning to these roots, in an elusive marriage of excellence meets ethics.
Reading Restaurant Organic Wine L’Ortolan
A natural wine is about what you leave in rather than take away. A crystal clear looking wine has been through a rigorous purification and clarification process, whereas natural wine will often be cloudy and more intense in colour.
There are two methods of farming ‘natural wine’; Organic wine is farmed without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides. The farming of Biodynamic wine also eliminates all chemical pesticides and fertilisers but the main focus is based on planting, pruning and harvesting crops by the phases of the moon.
One of the natural wines we’ll be pairing with the L’Ortolan menu is the Pinot Noir ‘Vinifie Sans Soufre’, Pierre Frick from Alsace, France, it’s a light style biodynamic red that has a diverse and adaptable flavour to suit a range of courses. This Pinot Noir is made without the use of sulphites at any stage allowing the red berry and red cherry characters to retain a classic wild structure.
To experience a selection of our natural wines, and don’t forget to ask Craig more about the estates and regions of these lesser known wines.
Events for your Diary
The Real Wine Fair 20th – 22nd May 2012 (Consumer day Sunday 20th May 10am to 6pm)
