The World of Natural Wine by Aaron Ayscough
“A definitive (and beautifully illustrated) guide to natural wine. . . . A must read.”
—Forbes
Natural wine has nothing to hide. Made from grapes alone—organically farmed, then harvested, fermented, aged, and bottled without additives—it’s wine that seeks to express, in every sip, its traditional and crucial link to nature. The World of Natural Wine is the book wine lovers need to navigate this movement—because it’s about so much more than labels and vintages. Meet the obsessive, often outspoken, winemakers; learn about the regions of France where natural wine culture first appeared and continues to flourish today; and explore natural wine in Spain, Italy, Georgia, and beyond. And just as important: find out what must be “unlearned” to discover the eye-opening pleasures of drinking naturally.
REVIEW QUOTES
“A definitive (and beautifully illustrated) guide to natural wine. . . . Ayscough debunks any misnomers about natural wine, all while telling the story of some of the world’s most thoughtful, obsessive, and imaginative producers. Outside of makers the book is part resource, part coffee table tome, filled with everything from in-depth looks at winemaking processes to full page images of the faces who make natural wine and the land they work with. He expertly catalogs natural wine’s inception to the lush, living state it is in today. No matter how you feel about natural wine, it’s a must read."
—Forbes
“The World of Natural Wine represents a new landmark for the understanding of natural wine. If you want to know about natural wine, you have to read this book.”
—Levi Dalton, host of the I’ll Drink to That! Wine Talk podcast
“From farming to winemaking, its past and its future, Ayscough has produced an essential addition to natural wine literature.”
—Alice Feiring, author of To Fall in Love, Drink This
“A must-read for anyone who loves—or hates—natural wines. Ayscough’s very well-researched, highly informative, lucid book gives us the keys to enter the culture and enjoy this galaxy of iconoclastic characters and their wines. Natural wine is much more than no sulfur: it is a hymn to the ever-changing nature of life.”
—Pascaline Lepeltier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France
“Ayscough captures an overall snapshot of natural wine, from its inception to where it is now and where it’s heading next. He gives insight into its principles and introduces the vignerons, cavistes, and restaurants whose energetic work behind the bottle has happily brought natural wine to where it is today.”
—Jorge Riera, wine director of Frenchette and Le Rock
“Aaron’s book affirms what all lovers of natural wine know instinctively from their first joyous glass—that natural wine is not reducible to a scientific definition or a marketing campaign but is instead the overflowing abundance of humanity itself struggling for solidarity, freedom, and happiness.”
—Bradford Taylor, owner of Ordinaire and Diversey Wine