What is natural wine and where can I find it in Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, we are still learning how to drink wine. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

For a long time, wine has felt like something for special occasions; a formal dinner, a gift, a promotion, a celebration. A bottle someone confidently opens while others don't quite understand. But wine doesn't have to be like that.

Enjoying wine can also be with a cold bottle on the beach. A glass with a slice of pizza. A light red with a barbecue. A casual afternoon with friends, doing nothing but enjoying. A bottle of wine can be the perfect excuse to keep talking for a little longer.

That's where natural wine comes in. Not as a complicated fad, or a test of knowledge, but as a more honest, vibrant, and free way to drink wine, and enjoy it without pretension.

So, what is natural wine?

Natural wine is wine made with as little intervention as possible, respecting its environment and letting it freely give us what it has.

It starts in the vineyard. The grapes come from vineyards worked with respect for the land, land worked with organic agriculture and governed by biodynamics. That means fewer chemicals, more attention to the soil, and a more careful relationship with the ecosystem where the grape grows, without forcing anything.

Then, in the winery, the idea is not to mask the wine; no chemicals or elements that fermentation itself doesn't provide are added.

The grapes ferment with their own yeasts. That is, with the yeasts that already live on the grape skins and in the winery environment. The goal is not to control everything with formulas. The wine is allowed to find its own way.

That's why each bottle can feel distinct. More alive. More expressive. Sometimes wilder, yes. Sometimes cleaner and easier to drink. None of this is a mistake. It is knowledge, honesty, and respect from the producer towards their grapes and the land that provides them.

The point is not that all natural wines taste the same. The point is that each wine more closely resembles its origin.

What does “minimal intervention” mean?

It means that the producer intervenes as little as possible in the production process. Not because they don't know what to do. Quite the opposite. Making natural wine requires attention, knowledge, patience, and a lot of judgment. Here, instead of correcting, masking, or standardizing, the producer accompanies the process.

In simple terms: good grapes are harvested from clean land treated with respect, fermented carefully, and adding or removing things from the production is avoided.

Most natural wines are not filtered. Many are not clarified. Many have very little added sulfite or none, beyond what fermentation itself naturally provides. Many may look different from what we are used to. And that's part of the charm.

Why are some natural wines cloudy?

Because they don't always go through filtering or clarifying processes. This is intervention.

In conventional wine, often the goal is for the liquid to look perfectly clear, bright, and stable. To achieve this, processes are used that remove particles, sediment, or texture. They correct it.

In natural wine, this is avoided, and that's why some sediment may remain. That's why it might look a little cloudy, hazy. That's why it might have more texture in the mouth.

Cloudiness is not necessarily a defect in natural wine. Sometimes it's simply a sign that the wine wasn't made up to look perfect, because it doesn't need to be.

As we say at Vinos Turbios: what you see is what you get.

What about sulfites?

Sulfites are chemical compounds that help preserve wine.

These can appear naturally during fermentation. That is, even a wine without added sulfites can have small amounts of sulfites. This is normal, it's unavoidable.

The difference is that many natural wine producers use very little sulfiting, or none additionally.

That doesn't mean all natural wines are "sulfite-free." Nor does it inherently mean they're better for you or healthier. More than anything, it means that natural wine seeks to be more transparent in its process. Less intervention. Fewer additives. More clarity about what's in the glass.

Does natural wine taste strange?

Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.

There are very fresh, juicy, and easy-to-drink natural wines. There are whites with rich acidity for the heat. There are light reds that are better chilled. There are dry sparkling wines to open without much thought, without ceremony. There are orange wines with more texture. There are more intense, serious, aged bottles, stranger ones.

But to start, you don't have to go for the weirdest. If you're just starting, look for fresh, light, and easy-to-share wines. Whatever you like to drink, nothing more.

A cold white for the beach.
A light red for a barbecue.
A rosé or a sparkling wine for a long table.
An orange wine if you're curious and want to try something different.

Trying is the best way to learn.

It's better to serve it first and then talk and learn.

How is natural wine consumed in Costa Rica?

Without much protocol.

Costa Rica has heat, humidity, beaches, mountains, terraces, barbecues, seafood, afternoon rain, and Sundays that stretch without thinking about the next day.

Natural wine fits well there. In fact, at any time. No need to wait for an elegant dinner. Many natural wines work best in simple moments: good food, good company, and a bottle at the right temperature.

Some basic tips:

1. Serve it a little colder

In Costa Rica, "room temperature" can be too hot for wine. Yes, even red wine.

Many light natural reds are best enjoyed with a bit of chill. Not frozen. Just cooler.

Whites, rosés, oranges, and sparkling wines also appreciate the cold. Not excessively cold, either. Just enough to enjoy it well.

Open it cold and serve it without hesitation.

2. Don't worry about not knowing too much

No need to talk about tannins, aging, scores, or impossible tasting notes.

Ask yourself something simpler:

Do I like it?
Do I want another sip?
What food do I imagine with it?
What does it remind me of having tasted?
Would I take it to the beach, to a dinner, or to my friends' place?

That's enough to start.

3. Pair by moment, not just by dish

Wine doesn't just live in a technical sheet. It also lives in context. Your context.

A fresh white can go with ceviche, seafood, or a hot afternoon.
A light red can go with pizza, chicken, burgers, or grilled meat.
A sparkling wine can start a meal, or finish it, or perhaps just end a long day.
An orange wine can go with spicy food, cheeses, roasted vegetables, or dishes with more texture.

You don't have to make it perfect. You just have to decide to open the bottle and let the rest happen.

Why drink natural wine?

Because it's a different way to approach wine.

More curious.
Cleaner and more transparent.
More honest.
More connected to the earth.
More free from protocol.

Also because behind every bottle there are usually small producers, vineyards with identity, and decisions made carefully, with passion, without rush.

But above all, because natural wine can give back to wine something that is sometimes forgotten: everyday pleasure. Enjoyment accessible in any circumstance.

A glass doesn't have to be a ceremony.
It can be a gesture.
A table.
A conversation.
A bottle opened in time and with the idea of sharing.

Frequently asked questions about natural wine

1. Is natural wine the same as organic wine?

Not necessarily. Organic wine primarily refers to how the grapes are grown. Natural wine goes further: it also refers to how it's fermented and worked in the winery.

2. Is natural wine always cloudy?

No. Some natural wines are cloudy. Others look quite clear. Cloudiness depends on the process, style, and whether the wine was filtered or clarified.

3. Does natural wine contain sulfites?

It can. Some have added sulfites in low quantities. Others have no added sulfites. In addition, fermentation can naturally generate sulfites.

4. Is natural wine served cold?

It depends on the wine.

But in Costa Rica, many wines are enjoyed better a little cooler than we might think. Even some light reds.

5. Is natural wine only for experts?

No. In fact, it should be quite the opposite.

Natural wine is best understood by tasting, asking questions, and sharing. Nobody is born an expert.

Natural wine for real life

Natural wine doesn't have to feel distant.

It can be in the fridge.
On the table.
At the beach.
At a barbecue.
On any given Thursday.

You don't need to know everything to start.

Buy natural wine in Costa Rica at vinosturbios.com.