The Natural Debate

Here's a link to an article written be Steve Heimoff on the subject of natural wines:
http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/09/22/natural-schmatural/comment-page-1/#comment-82563

My response is as follows:


The wine business is like many other trades.  The medical industry has it's Witch doctors and doctors who shun any form of natural medicine in favor of every vaccine possible and every prescription written.
In our business we have people who practice their viticulture as a religion. Some truly believe in it and others simply use it to market their wine.  This topic of natural, sustainable, organically grown, organically produced, biodynamically produced grapes and wines is intensely divisive. It certainly provides for great and entertaining debate.  Unfortunately, the producers who portray this holier-than-thou attitude are seen as the face of natural wine.
The truth is there are more producers of "natural" wine who are simple, modest people. Ted Lemon of Littorai is one example.  He does everything he can to limit the use of
organic chemicals in his vineyard but is the first to concede that without these chemicals he would lose the crop.  Obviously, we can surmise that there is a correlation between crop health and quality wine.
It would be pleasant if the self-righteous wackos and the people who seem rabid about bashing all of natural viticulture would disappear for a short while.
They cloud the water and perpetuate bad information. Where are the moderates who understand this? Is putting a spin on everything simply the way things are done in our time? I hope not.