Grilled pork, roasted mushrooms, lentil stew, charred vegetables, Manchego cheese, roast chicken

Red cherry, raspberry, wild herbs, crushed stone, floral notes, earthy spice, bright acidity

Varietal:

Mencía, Palomino, Doña Blanca

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 12%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: Castilla y Leon, Spain

In his winemaking approach, Diego prioritizes minimal intervention to preserve the vitality and essence of the vineyards. He opts for a combination of unlined concrete vats and aged oak and chestnut casks, believing these materials allow the wine to breathe, unlike stainless steel which he perceives as stifling the wine's natural character. Eschewing pumps, additives, and sulfur dioxide additions since the 2016 vintage in his recently constructed bodega, Diego critiques enological products as components of a capitalist system. Drawing parallels to his past as a musician, he sees winemaking as a form of creative expression. Diego's philosophy is encapsulated in his belief that many in natural winemaking merely mimic without truly connecting with their vineyards. Clearly, Diego stands apart

Duck breast with figs, roast chicken, mushroom tart, charcuterie, strawberry spice desserts

Dark berries, red cherry, violets, white pepper, wild herbs, mineral crunch, juicy acidity

Varietal:

Cabernet Franc

Vintage:

• 2023

ABV:

• 12%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: Loire Valley,

Call it driven by passion: Cyril and Fabien, the two brothers at the helm of Domaine du Mortier, aren’t originally from a winemaking family. But, when their parents bought a house with a small vineyard back in 1989, the then-teenagers fell in love with viticulture. So much so that they started a proper domain seven years later, naming it after a hamlet where the winery and vineyards are located, just west of the town of Bourgueil. - Jenny & Francois

Grilled white fish, roasted cauliflower, herb roasted chicken, mussels, grain salads, aged cheeses

Lemon peel, quince, pear skin, dried herbs, chamomile, saline minerality, gentle tannins

Varietal:

Semillon

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 12%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Funky

Region: Itata Valley, Chile

Nacho, also known as Ignacio Pino Román, breaks the mold of your typical winemaker. In Chile's Itata Valley, he's on a mission to revive age-old traditions. Instead of relying on modern equipment and chemical shortcuts, Nacho champions the old ways. He roams Coelemu, collaborating with small growers who tend to their ancient vines naturally, without harsh chemicals. In his cellar, simplicity reigns supreme - stainless steel, clay, and neutral wood are the tools of his trade. With no unnecessary additives, Nacho's focus is on allowing the unique character of the Itata Valley and its grapes to shine through in every bottle of his "natural wine." It's a recipe for something truly special, don't you think?

Fried calamari, potato chips with crème fraîche, oysters, roast chicken, soft cheeses, vegetable tempura

Green apple, pear, citrus peel, white flowers, brioche, fresh herbs, saline minerality

Varietal:

Pinot Gris

Vintage:

• 2021

ABV:

• 12%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Region: Burgenland, Austria

Meinklang is a lively farm compromising the three typical fields of a Pannonian farmstead in East Austria south of capital town Vienna: wine-growing, fruits and agriculture. Each family-member is specialized in an aspect of farming. Unique is the estate owns Angus & Aubrac cattle herd. It`s the farms source for our own nutritious, organic fertilizer for lively soils in the vineyards and creates the closed circle in the biodynamic Demeter farming. Outstanding issues are the totally unpruned vines, called «graupert» and the extended maturation in concrete egg-shaped containers. As well as the family initiated the first holistic Demeter brewery where we refine the ancient grain beer out of the old varieties called Einkorn and Emmer wheat. - From Zev Rovine

Roasted vegetables, grilled fish, schnitzel, soft cheeses, grain salads, picnic fare

Citrus peel, ginger, white flowers, stone fruit, fresh herbs, savory spice, lively acidity

Varietal:

Welschriesling, Rosenmuskateller, Blaufränkisch, Saint Laurent, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc

Vintage:

• 2023

ABV:

• 11%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Region: Weinland, Austria

Alexander and Maria Koppitsch began making wine in Burgenland in 2011. They took over their parents 5.5-hectare winery and moved from selling their grapes into making their own wine. The vineyards are in the Neusiedl am See, a small village situated at the shores of the Neusidl Lake and on the eastern end of the Leitha Mountains which feature soft, rolling hills of mostly limestone soil. Like his father and grandfather before him, Alex does not believe in introducing any additives into the grapes or the wine. They use Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic principles to cultivate their grapes, and pride themselves on performing every aspect of the vineyard management and the winemaking by hand, on a very small scale. - Jenny & Francois