Charcuterie, hummus, grilled vegetables, roast chicken, picnic fare

Strawberry, blackberry, violets, elderberry, lavender, bright acidity

Varietal:

Cinsault, País

Vintage:

• 2022

ABV:

• 13%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: Itata Valley, Chile

Mingaco is a small family winery in the village of Checura in Chile’s Itata Valley, run by winemaker Pablo Pedreros and Daniela De Pablo. Pablo grew up making wine with his father and grandfather on the same land, continuing a long local tradition of small-scale farming and winemaking.

The vineyards include old, dry-farmed bush vines of Moscatel, País, and Cinsault, some more than 100 years old, planted on granitic soils with clay and quartz. Farming follows regenerative and biodynamic principles, with no synthetic fertilizers or herbicides.

Production is small, between 10,000 and 30,000 bottles annually. Through thoughtful farming and minimal intervention in the cellar, Mingaco focuses on expressive wines that reflect the history, landscape, and traditions of the Itata Valley.

Grilled beef, roast chicken, pasta with tomato sauce, mild cheeses

Red currant, plum, cedar, sweet herbs, soft tannins

Varietal:

Merlot

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 12.5%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: Bordeaux,

Château Tire Pé is a small family estate in the Gironde-sur-Dropt area of Bordeaux, run by David and Hélène Barrault since 1997. The vineyards sit on clay and limestone soils with southern exposure overlooking the Garonne River, providing excellent conditions for balanced, expressive wines.

The Barraults farm their vines organically, a practice they adopted in 2008 and officially began converting under Ecocert in 2011. In the cellar, the focus is on gentle extraction and minimal intervention to highlight the supple fruit and terroir that define classic Bordeaux wines.

Grilled lamb, roasted vegetables, Mediterranean dishes, charcuterie

Sour cherry, orange zest, red licorice, sage, thyme

Varietal:

Grenache

Vintage:

• 2020

ABV:

• 14%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: Barossa Valley, Australia

Frederick Stevenson's wines hail from the illustrious wine region of Barossa Valley in South Australia. This renowned area boasts a rich winemaking history and is celebrated for its diverse terroir and exceptional grape varieties. With a meticulous approach to winemaking, Stevenson expertly crafts wines that capture the essence of the region's unique microclimates and soil compositions. Each bottle reflects Stevenson's unwavering commitment to quality and his passion for showcasing the distinct character of Barossa Valley through his wines.

Grilled seafood, Mediterranean salads, roasted vegetables, charcuterie

Red cherry, rose petal, orange zest, nectarine, red currant

Varietal:

Mourvèdre

Vintage:

• 2022
• 2023

ABV:

• 13.5%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Region: McLaren Vale, Australia

Poppelvej is the project of Danish brothers Jens and Uffe Deichmann. The name means “street of poplars,” referencing the street where they grew up in Denmark, and the original hand-painted sign from their great-great-grandfather now hangs in the winery.

Uffe moved to South Australia for a harvest and ended up staying after meeting his future wife, Nicole. The couple eventually settled in McLaren Vale, where Poppelvej was founded in 2016.

The wines are made from sustainably farmed vineyards in McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Fermentations are low intervention with minimal additions, and the wines are typically bottled without fining or filtration. Production is small, around 4,000 cases annually, and the wines reflect both the creativity of their makers and the character of the region.

Roasted vegetables, grilled lamb, spiced dishes, aged cheeses

Dried apricot, honeyed citrus, herbal tea, quince, tannic texture

Varietal:

Khikhvi

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 13%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Funky

Region: Kakheti, Georgia

Pheasant’s Tears was founded in 2007 by American artist and winemaker John Wurdeman and Georgian farmer Gela Patalishvili in the village of Tibaani in Kakheti. Their work focuses on reviving Georgia’s ancient winemaking traditions and preserving the country’s vast diversity of indigenous grape varieties.

The winery farms organically across several vineyard sites in Georgia and works with native grapes such as Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, and many lesser-known varieties. Most wines are fermented and aged in traditional qvevri, clay vessels buried underground, following techniques that date back thousands of years.

With minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar, Pheasant’s Tears produces wines that reflect Georgia’s deep winemaking heritage and the unique character of its landscapes.

Seafood, goat cheese salads, grilled fish, sushi, fresh vegetables

Kiwi, guava, passionfruit, grapefruit, white pepper, fresh herbs

Varietal:

Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 13%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Region: Stellenbosch, South Africa

Founded in 1995 in the Polkadraai Hills of Stellenbosch, Boschkloof is a family estate led by second-generation winemaker Reenen Borman. Drawing on his Rhône Valley experience, Reenen crafts elegant, site-driven wines using sustainable farming and minimal-intervention methods. The estate is best known for its acclaimed Syrah “Epilogue,” the first South African red to earn 98 points from an international critic.