Being made from grapes, you would assume that all wine is “natural”.

However, after a closer inspection you will see that there are quite a large number of ingredients added to the fermented grape juice, so for wine purists, the latest phenomenon has delighted all – natural wine.

Essentially these wines are made without the use of sulphur dioxide, a perfectly safe preservative used in the production of many wines.

Bypassing one of wine’s major stabilisers can indeed be a risky move, however when implemented right, can provide some truly fresh and utterly delicious tipples. Here are some of our favourites.

Marcel Lapierre ‘les Raisins Gaulois’ 2009 £11.50, www.lescaves.co.uk

Quite possibly one of the freshest and liveliest wines around! This is a 100% Gamay produced from de-classified Beaujolais grapes, but do not under-estimate this wine and think it is not good enough to be certified “appellation contrôllée” – far from it! Made by the late pioneering producer Marcel Lapierre, is full of cherry and brambly fruit flavours backed up by a kick of freshness.

Henry Marionnet ‘Première Vendage’ Touraine 2009, £9.95, The Wine Society

Proof that natural doesn’t always mean premium priced is this offering from the Loire Valley. Also made from Gamay, these grapes were hand harvested with the resulting wine made without the addition of sulphur. Wonderful crunchy red berry flavoured that is as fresh as a daisy and perfect to enjoy on a sunny day.

Domaine Matassa ‘Romanissa’ 2006, £19.99, Majestic

Not cheap, but for a real taste of the wild ‘garrigue’ of South West France then look no further. Made from biodynamic principles, absolutely no added sulphur and utilising the classic grapes of the region, comes this richly spicy and slightly woody scented red. Let this forest fruit and herby flavoured wine really stretch its legs by decanting for at least an hour prior to serving.

Dario Princic Vino Bianco Trebez 2006, £21.50, slurp.co.uk

For a taste of the wild and for the really adventurous imbibers, comes this blend of the conventional Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio with the rather not-so-conventional outcome. Chemical free in both vineyard and winery, and completely unfiltered or fined which gives this wine a cloudy and orangey hue. Deliciously dry with aromas of cooked apples and dried grapes which give way to notes of grapefruit and slight toffee flavours.