What is the difference between organic, biodynamic, and natural wine?
Quick answer
Organic wine is made from grapes grown without synthetic pesticides (EU certified). Biodynamic wine follows a stricter, holistic approach inspired by Rudolf Steiner. Natural wine has no strict legal definition but typically means no additives and zero or minimal added sulfites.
Detailed answer
Organic wine is the most clearly regulated of the three. Under EU rules in place since 2012, organic viticulture bans synthetic pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. In the cellar, sulfite limits are lower (100 mg/L for reds, 150 mg/L for whites) and some additives are prohibited, but commercial yeast and fining agents are still allowed. Look for the green EU leaf logo on the label.
Biodynamic wine takes organic farming further by treating the vineyard as a self-sustaining ecosystem. Based on the 1924 lectures of Rudolf Steiner, it uses specific preparations — horn manure and horn silica being the most well-known — and follows a lunar and planetary calendar for vineyard work. The leading certifications are Demeter (strictest, capping red wine sulfites at 70 mg/L) and Biodyvin. Many top estates in Burgundy, Alsace and the Loire Valley farm biodynamically.
Natural wine sits at the minimal-intervention end of the spectrum. It had no legal definition until France introduced the "Vin Méthode Nature" label in 2020. Generally it means: organically or biodynamically grown grapes, hand-harvested, fermented only with indigenous yeast, no additives whatsoever (no added sugar, acid or enzymes), and zero or under 30 mg/L of added sulfites. Natural wines tend to be more expressive and can vary noticeably from bottle to bottle.
These categories overlap: biodynamic wine is always organic, and natural wine nearly always starts with organic or biodynamic grapes. On expertvin.be, you can filter by certification to find the approach that suits your values.