Comiskey On Natural Wines...

PatrickComiskey, one of my most favorite of writers, has some interesting comments on Zester on the NaturalWine "movement":
Zester:ComiskeyOnNaturalWines

The last few paragraphs are particularly worth reading where he
calls into question Alice's consistency of views when she revels in the CarbonicMaceration CabFranc from the Loire...made by an interventionist process that's about as unnatural as it comes.
Tom

My comments to Patrick:

Patrick,
Finally read your Zester post today. Nicely done job. I particularly liked the last few paragraphs where you called Alice
on her liking this CarbonicMaceration wine. One of her criticisms of JamieGoode's AuthenticWines book was that
it didn't talk about CM and how "unnatural" the process was...at least as used in Beaujolais to make spoofalated wines.
She's a bit like Randall...she may talk the talk, but doesn't always walk the walk. I think what she likes in wine is as much
about a wine style than it is about being a "natural" wine. Just so happens that "natural" wines are where you most find
these weird things like a CM CabFranc from the Loire. I'm with you....many of them ("natural" wines... and I would lump
in orange wines as well here) may be intellectually "interesting"...but sometimes they just leave me scratching my head in puzzlement...
where's the pleasure in drinking this wine??
But I think your points are very well made and points out the contradictions in Alice's views...without calling her an out&out fraud.
As I would tend to do at times.
Tom

Tom: Thank you. The Comiskey piece was a remarkable work.

Here's what I commented to Patrick:

Patrick: May I say that, even outside the parameters of the definition, dispute or discussion itself, this is a most elegant and beautifully written piece. One of your best (and your average is better than most folk's best). That said, you approach and deal with the heart of the matter most elegantly as well, with perception, intelligence, and a wry dry-vermouth wit. All natural, I would assume. :^) Superb job. Simply superb. A pleasure to read.

And like you, I think the gentle but nonetheless firm call out on AF's inherent contradictions is telling.