Most wines today are highly processed, just like most foods—filled with toxic trace chemicals that can carry serious health risks. Almost all modern vineyards spray with chemicals, such as the weed-killer Roundup, whose active ingredient, glyphosate, has shown strong associations with a range of diseases, including cancer and Parkinson’s.
As a result of successful lobbying efforts from the wine industry, wine is the only major food product with no ingredients label. Wines may contain dozens of toxic additives, and you wouldn’t know. U.S. wine producers can legally, and without disclosure, use 76 different FDA-approved additives without disclosing any of them on the bottle—substances like mega purple coloring dye, fish bladders, sulfur dioxide, and dimethyl dicarbonate, which is so toxic that it must be applied by specialists in hazmat suits.
The process of creating these new wines also impacts the environment. More than 95 percent of U.S. vineyards are now irrigated—and irrigation leads to diluted fruit and weaker plants. Fifteen years ago, the average alcohol level in wine was 12.5 percent; today, the average is more than 14 percent. With this higher alcohol content, it’s harder to enjoy wine without a host of negative consequences: hangovers, headaches, stomach issues, brain fog and poor sleep.
The Real Food Movement has us celebrating grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, organically grown vegetables…and then we pair these wholesome foods with chemical-laced alcoholic concoctions that are high in two substances proven to have an adverse impact on health: sugar and alcohol. There is a way to ensure that the wine you drink is better for your health, more sustainable for the environment, and more nourishing for your soul: Join the Natural Wine Movement by demanding natural wine, made with no chemical or technological intervention. The word is spreading, and this movement is growing. From an elegant French ploussard, to a bolder South African syrah, to a tall, slender bottle of an Austrian grüner veltliner, the Natural Wine Movement is really a journey to rediscovering wine. Real wine.
Natural wine isn’t easy to find. To enjoy wine that agrees with my ketogenic lifestyle, I started Dry Farm Wines, a wine club that globally sources only from dry-farmed vineyards that use no irrigation. Following strict health and taste criteria, we perform independent lab tests on every wine for purity and alcohol content. Keto- and paleo-friendly, Dry Farm Wines are low alcohol, low sulfite and sugar-free.
The more alcohol there is in a wine, the bolder and richer it will be. When you eat clean on a regular basis, you start to crave wines that are also cleaner, fresher and lighter. The standard American diet deadens the palate—but consistently eating clean repairs the palate, so natural wines end up tasting better, and we feel better after drinking them.
If you’re passionate about healthier living, higher taste, supporting sustainable farmers, and tapping into the deep connection that wine represents, join the Natural Wine Movement. Each time you raise your glass, you’ll feel confident when making the toast: To your health!
dryfarmwines.com
