Natural Wine at Vella Terra

Natural Wine at Vella Terra: our approach to winemaking, transparency, sustainability and responsible wine culture.

WHAT IS NATURAL WINE?

Natural wine is made from grapes grown using organic, biodynamic or regenerative farming, respecting the soil, biodiversity and natural cycles. In the winery, intervention is kept to a minimum: spontaneous fermentation, with no unnecessary additives or processes that alter the wine’s identity.

At Vella Terra, we apply criteria shared by leading international wine fairs, respected associations, certification bodies and producers committed to transparency. All participating wineries are required to submit laboratory analyses for the wines they exhibit, allowing essential parameters such as sulphite levels to be verified. In addition, we require organic certification or Demeter certification or, where certification has not yet been obtained or the winery is in conversion, a pesticide residue analysis.

We believe that only through clear, verifiable and transparent criteria is it possible to identify a natural wine, beyond labels, trends or marketing strategies.

Our Criteria

Farming

Organic, biodynamic or regenerative.

Winery

Spontaneous fermentation, with no filtration or fining.

Sulphites

No added sulphites
or a maximum of 30 mg/L
of total sulphur dioxide.

Laboratory Analyses

Mandatory and
renewed for every edition.

Transparencia

Accessible and
verifiable information.

Why Do We Support Natural Wine at Vella Terra?

Because it's honest

No disguise, no unnecessary additives, independently verified.

Because it's sustainable

It protects the soil, biodiversity and the future of wine.

Because it's culture

Every bottle reflects its winegrowing heritage.

Because it connects

With people, with place and with authenticity.

Commitment to Inclusivity, Transparency and Direct Contact with Producers

Transparency At Vella Terra, transparency is the foundation of our selection process. We personally visit every winegrower, verify their practices and review the laboratory analyses of every wine, evaluating each project individually and without dogmatism. All participating wineries submit laboratory analyses of their wines, a pioneering requirement in Spain. We established these criteria in response to the lack of rigour found at many events labelled as natural wine fairs and within associations with unclear standards. We require verifiable information to guarantee authenticity and transparency for everyone attending the fair.

Inclusivity At Vella Terra, we are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse fair, welcoming everyone equally regardless of ability, ethnicity, age, religion or gender identity. We ensure equal access to the same services, opportunities and treatment for all participants. We do not tolerate any form of gender-based violence and provide a dedicated space at our registration desk where attendees can report this or any other form of violence.

Direct Contact with Producers At Vella Terra, we believe in direct contact between producers and visitors. Every winery presents its wines in person, creating a close, transparent and authentic experience. In addition to purchasing bottles directly from the producers, visitors meet an international community of winegrowers alongside distributors, importers, sommeliers, hospitality professionals, specialised wine media and natural wine enthusiasts.

Natural Wine at Vella Terra with Real Guarantees

Since 2016, Natural Wine at Vella Terra has been selected according to clear criteria. Wines may not be chemically fined and must not exceed 30 mg/L of total sulphites. In addition, every winery must provide laboratory analyses for the wines it presents, ensuring transparency and authenticity.

Our criteria are based on the consensus of the international natural wine community, the principles shared by the sector’s leading fairs and the work of associations committed to transparency. They are also aligned with Vin Méthode Nature, the recognised French designation created in 2019, three years after Vella Terra was founded, which sets out clear criteria for determining which wines may qualify under this designation.

A Decade of Dedication and Passion

For ten years, Vella Terra has worked independently to promote Natural Wine at Vella Terra and across Spain, bringing together leading wineries and establishing a fair recognised by professionals and wine lovers from different countries. We defend an approach based on transparency: every winery provides laboratory analyses for its wines, and each project is assessed with respect and without dogmatism, taking into account its territory, climate, winemaking approach and the particular characteristics of each vintage. With twenty years of experience in hospitality and fifteen years dedicated to promoting the sector, every edition encourages us to keep learning and improving.

Spain’s First International Natural Wine Fair

Since our foundation, more than 800 natural wine wineries from 23 countries have taken part in Vella Terra, and we have personally visited most of them to learn about their work and winemaking methods. We have also welcomed thousands of professionals from more than 30 countries—including importers, distributors, sommeliers, hospitality professionals and specialist press—drawn by the credibility of our fair, without financial incentives or recruitment campaigns. We are proud to be Spain’s first international natural wine fair to achieve this level of recognition.