Going au Naturel at the Barnyard
Victoria's First All-Natural Wine Festival Will Be a Stripped-Down Experience
woRds by eRin mAher / imAges pRovided by bArnyArd
Save-on-Foods Arena’s glaring lights and terraced bleachers may seem at odds with a vineyard’s earthy rows and leafy trellises. But on March 24 it will host a congregation of wine suppliers and enthusiasts, all with one unifying preference: they like their wine naked.
More precisely, they like it natural. But what does that actually mean? Even in natural-wine circles, a true definition can be tricky to land on. According to Raw Wine, a forum for “low-intervention, organic, biodynamic, natural wines and their grower-makers,” the complex definition of natural wine is elucidated (somewhat):
While there is no universally accepted definition of natural wine, it is generally agreed … that it is farmed organically (biodynamically, using permaculture or the like) and made (or rather transformed) without adding or removing anything in the cellar. No additives or processing aids are used, and “intervention” in the naturally occurring fermentation process is kept to a minimum. As such neither fining nor (tight) filtration are used. The result is a living wine—wholesome and full of naturally occurring microbiology.
“Intervention” in the naturally occurring fermentation process is kept to a minimum. The result is a living wine—wholesome and full of naturally occurring microbiology.
I have a personal confession to make: when I first saw posters advertising the Barnyard festival, I scoffed. In my work as a sommelier I’ve attended tastings that touted themselves as featuring natural wine, with nary a true natural in the lineup. I’ve also sat at tables packed to the edges with natural wines that boasted aromas like blue cheese, or tasting notes of apple cider vinegar. These were not so much tastings as sad ceremonies in which I and the bottles commiserated that the purity of their fruit would never find its true expression.
After all, anyone can say that the wines they make are “natural.” But whether that’s accurate, or the wine itself is palatable, is often a different story. All this makes natural wine a subgenre that’s hard to discern, navigate, and trust.
But when I found out that Barnyard was being spearheaded by Matt Cooke…well. I’ve never flipped my pancake so fast.
Cooke was the sommelier at OLO, the now-closed modern West Coast restaurant over which any Victorian who dines well is still pining. Their masterfully curated wine program ensured that you could confidently try something new, learning about a special producer or random varietal from an “out-there” region every time you visited. Even if you did so inappropriately often. OLO’s departure from our downtown core left impossibly large shoes to fill, especially when it comes to natural wine offerings.
Hearing Cooke speak about Barnyard, his genuine desire is obvious: to share wines that are authentically crafted and to make them accessible. As the Barnyard mandate states, “the overall philosophy…is to introduce our guests to wines that, for the most part, we don’t have many opportunities to taste on Vancouver Island.”
It’s inspiring to see Cooke’s talents translated from a single wine list to an entire festival. I happily rescinded my wariness around natural wines when he refreshed me on why this style of winemaking is important: much like obtaining “organic” classifications five or six years ago, living up to the “natural” designation has become difficult. The cost of attaining an organic or biodynamic certification is prohibitive to many smaller producers. Being a strict purist could also cost people their livelihood.
He specifically referred to Jay Drysdale and Wendy Rose, owners of the BC sparkling wine house Bella Wines, one of the industry pioneers for naturals in the burgeoning Okanagan region. They were also the first to put labels on their bottles with full transparency about any additives they felt it was necessary to use during the winemaking process. Their goal is always minimal intervention, but if the conditions of a certain vintage would result in an inferior product, consumers are made aware of the tools being used to bring their product up to spec.
Cooke’s words reminded me to focus on the positives. “Nobody could argue that Bella’s wines are anything but natural. But they, and others like them, are small, family-owned businesses—they can’t afford to lose an entire vintage. So if a vintage needs a little help, they opt for transparency. Which is much preferred to losing the winemakers who are doing great things.”
It costs more to make wine in a traditional way. It takes more attention to detail in the vineyard and if you can’t fix the wine chemically, there is increased susceptibility to faults and off-flavors. The question arises: why even bother making natural wine? And why should consumers care about it?
Well, we can start with 45 reasons. Because there are 45 allowable ingredients for any bottle of wine, with no requirement to list a single one of them on the label. Sugars, pesticides, and chemicals are among the most frequently used.
The real goal of natural wine is to make it traditionally. The cornerstones are minimal intervention, transparency, and letting the grapes translate from the vineyard to your glass.
But natural winemaking doesn’t just seek to enhance the drinking experience. It promotes mindfulness around the very products that we consume. Part of the Barnyard philosophy is that “we all become more conscious of our individual impacts on the world around us,” and “look for ways to consume responsibly, whether that’s buying produce from a farmers’ market, choosing to shop with Made in Canada producers, or hopping on an electric bike rather than taking the car. We have the same choices when it comes to wine, not just in buying local (which we love), but also in buying responsibly and understanding what goes into the products we consume.”
Despite the less-is-more approach to the natural winemaking process, the final product generally costs the consumer more, not less. Says Cooke, “These wines are not cheap. The average cost of a bottle is usually around $40.” His advice for navigating the market as a consumer is generally to engage with liquor store staff, acknowledging that “we are then beholden to that particular staff member’s knowledge.” He refers to local stores like Vessel and Vintage Spirits as having good natural wine selections and knowledgeable staff. However, I agree wholeheartedly with his second suggestion: get to know the importers.
Barnyard will be a great place to do that—but how about we get started early? Rawan Kabra, founder and director of Minimalism Wines, offers advice on how to navigate the marketplace similar to Cooke’s: “Ask a liquor store staff member.” But her follow-up advice fills me with joy: “A good friend once told me, ‘It’s just wine. Drink it.’ And I’ve grown fond of that statement, because it allows us to be adventurous, to not fuss over everything. Sometimes it works in your favour, sometimes it doesn’t, but you still learned something from that experience.”
When you arrive at Barnyard you’ll be given a guide to the 35 vendors attending and the wines they are pouring. Cooke suggests looking it over and making a plan of attack. When he attends festivals, he likes to “seek out older wines, because we don’t always have the opportunity to try those, and some from more obscure regions.” After you’ve stopped by Kabra’s table to introduce yourself, she recommends allotting a block of free time to “anything I want to revisit, and add it in at the middle or end.”
Both professionals reiterate the common-sense actions that can get lost in the excitement of the festival atmosphere: snacks and hydration. Says Kabra, “Make sure you’ve eaten well beforehand and are hydrated. Continue to hydrate after every tasting. It can catch up with you fast, especially if you aren’t spitting.” Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
And if I might offer my own parting wisdom: always start with sparkling. It’s a festival, after all, and that in itself is a cause for celebration.
Barnyard Natural Wine Festival: Friday, March 24, 2023 (7 – 10pm)
