For a few years now, sulphur-free wine has been very popular. Both conventional and industrial winemakers have started to produce wine without sulfite. A true sulphur-free wine comes from certified organic or biodynamic agriculture. But how can you make the difference between a real natural wine with no inputs or just a little sulphur before bottling and a sulphite-free wine with industrial processes?
In 2009, I discovered a company that distributed a product to make water better: VitaJuwel. When I was in Paris, I only drank tap water with this instrument. It was just incredible. A friend then introduced me to the same VitaJuwel concept for wine. I realized that the amethyst stone contained in the glass tube played on the atoms of the alcohol. It's a matter of sensitivity, and some people are more or less sensitive than others. He is right. My advice is always to do it with blind tasting.
My experience was: When the atoms of the alcohol are natural, meaning without chemical input, the wine with VitaJuwel is better. How many times have I put it in natural wines that were completely closed or even undrinkable? With the VitaJuwel instrument (Amethyst, Garnet, Clear Quartz), the wine opened up.
On the other hand, VitaJuwel also helps with unveiling wines that use inputs like make-up. After using Vitajuwel, the make-up is gone, and the wine delivers all its defects. In short, the aromas of the inputs are better recognized and it becomes undrinkable. With this test, Vitajuwel helped me to detect fake natural wines.
Jean-Charles Botte
is a 53-year-old sommelier living in Norway who loves life, nature and people. He has been sommelier at the restaurant Xich-lo in Oslo and La Méditerranée in Paris. His motto is "Life has been given to us, our duty is to respect this gift and to realize that we have responsibilities: not to poison ourselves, not to poison others and to respect all living things.” Jean-Charles has been writing articles about wine, life and wellness for 20 years.
