Wine is alive: the vitalist and theological roots of natural wine in 19th and 20th century Spain

This paper explores the intersection of vitalism, theology, and science in 19th and 20th century Spanish winemaking, focusing on the influential figures of Lucio Bascuñana and Eduardo Vitoria. Both men were engaged in the complex debate over the nature of wine, particularly regarding its production and the use of additives during a period marked by industrialization and scientific advancement, but also by a conflict between natural and artificial wines. Bascuñana’s radical rejection of additives and insistence on preserving the “living” essence of wine, influenced by vitalist and theological thought, is juxtaposed with Vitoria’s more pragmatic approach, which sought to balance scientific methods with traditional winemaking practices, especially in the context of sacramental wine. Drawing on Bruno Latour’s critique of the nature-culture dualism, the paper argues that both Bascuñana and Vitoria envisioned science not as a force of domination but as a partner in sustaining the natural vitality of wine. This study contributes to the historiography of enology by highlighting how debates on natural versus artificial wine in Spain anticipated contemporary concerns within the natural wine movement, emphasizing the ongoing dialog between tradition, scientific progress, and wine authenticity.