Grilled chicken, burgers, ratatouille, lentil salad, charcuterie, roasted vegetables

Red cherry, raspberry, plum, wild herbs, earth, limestone minerality, soft tannins

Varietal:

Grenache, Carignan

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 12.5%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: Languedoc, France

With 15 hectares of organically farmed vineyards (yes, that’s right — zero shortcuts, just sunshine, soil, and a lot of care), they bottle up the purest expression of the Languedoc spirit. This isn’t just a family-run estate — it’s a full-blown labor of love, turning out around 250,000 bottles a year, split between their Domaine line (the heart and soul) and their négociant wines (their creative, free-spirited side hustle).

What you’ll taste? Sunshine. Effort. Joy. Maybe even a little rebellion. These wines are for people who like their stories real, their land respected, and their glasses never empty.

From our friends in Nizas, with love — and a lot of really, really good wine.

Grilled sausages, roast chicken, lamb kebabs, ratatouille, lentils, mushroom tartine

Red cherry, raspberry, plum, wild herbs, earth, spice, stony minerality, fine tannins

Varietal:

Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 13.5%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Region: ,

Fried chicken with a gochujang glaze, falafel with yogurt, and mushroom tacos with citrus and crema

Cranberry, strawberry, crushed violets, savory herbs and pink peppercorn. Overall light, in terms of body, tannins, and alcohol, with a lifted acidity and clean, zippy finish

Varietal:

Gamay

Vintage:

• 2022

ABV:

• 12.5%

Funky Scale:

Classic

Region: Beaujolais, France

Clotaire Michal has wine in his veins. From his early days swirling glasses as a sommelier in top spots across France and the UK, to a five-year deep-dive under legendary winemakers like Christophe Peyrus and the iconic Thierry Allemand in the Rhône, Clotaire didn’t just learn winemaking — he lived it. In 2013, he and his wife Yuka (who officially joined the Domaine in 2018) took a leap of faith and built something rare: a soulful, old-vine haven in Saint-Étienne-la-Varenne, where pink granite and 100-year-old Gamay vines tell a story you can taste in every glass. No chemicals, no shortcuts, no trendy “glouglou” vibes here.

Grilled white fish, roast chicken, vegetable risotto, shellfish, soft cheeses, rice dishes

Citrus peel, pear, white flowers, orchard fruit, toasted almond, saline minerality, soft spice

Varietal:

Bical, Sercial, Sercialinho

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 12.5%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Region: ,

Spicy seafood, grilled vegetables, soft cheeses, citrus salad, roast chicken, tapas

Peach, pear, jasmine, citrus, spice, floral notes, light tannin, zesty finish

Varietal:

Marina, Muscat, Xarel.Io

Vintage:

• 2024

ABV:

• 13%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Funky

Region: Catalonia, Spain

Raïmones represents the vibrant culmination of three esteemed wine families' legacies in Catalunia, heralding a new era of winemaking with a focus on natural practices and the revitalization of forgotten varietals. Embodying a commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability, Raïmones emerges as a beacon of innovation within the region's wine landscape. At the heart of their mission lies the preservation and promotion of "the Marina," an ancient and enigmatic grape variety whose potential has long been overshadowed by more mainstream cultivars. With a blend of reverence for tradition and a bold vision for the future, Raïmones harnesses the collective expertise and passion of its founders to breathe new life into Catalonia's winemaking heritage.

Fried seafood, grilled shrimp, goat cheese, tomato salad, charcuterie, picnic snacks, spicy noodles

Strawberry, lemon, citrus, pear, apple, yeast, minerality, fresh bubbles, cloudy texture

Varietal:

Pinot Noir

Vintage:

• 2022

ABV:

• 10.5%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Region: Douro, Portugal

Tiago Sampaio, the innovative young winemaker behind Folias de Baco, began his journey in 2007, though his passion for winemaking traces back to his childhood, where he explored his family's farms and vineyards alongside his grandfather. Always curious and adventurous, Tiago's willingness to experiment shaped his path. He pursued agricultural studies in Santo Tirso and spent five years at university in Vila Real before embarking on a PhD in Viticulture and Enology in Oregon. There, he absorbed modern winemaking philosophies and aesthetics, all while cherishing his Douro roots. Returning to the Alto Douro, specifically in the challenging sub-region of Cima-Corgo, Tiago established his estate. His vines cling to steep slopes of schist and granite, ranging from 500 to 700 meters in altitude.