Grilled sardines, roast chicken, herbed rice, salt cod dishes, hard sheep cheeses

Orange peel, pear skin, dried herbs, chamomile, stone dust, light tannin, saline finish

Varietal:

Vital, Rabo de Ovelha

Vintage:

• 2023

ABV:

• 12.5%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Funky

Style:

Region:Serra de Montejunto, Portugal

COZs is the partnership of Portuguese natives Tiago Teles and António Marques da Cruz, founded in 2015 with a shared goal of reviving historic vineyards and native grapes in the Serra de Montejunto, just 15 km from the Atlantic Ocean in the Lisbon wine region.

Their story began with the purchase of a 60 year old Baga vineyard, followed by the limestone rich Vinha da Pena. In a region long shaped by conventional farming, COZs chose a different path, prioritizing organic agriculture and rethinking pruning and soil health. Today they work with six historic, high altitude sites planted mainly to Vital, with vines between 30 and 50 years old rooted in clay limestone soils.

Midnight Pasta with Anchovies, Shrimp Stuffed Salmon, Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Pear, apricot, orange peel and tea.

Varietal:

Rukatac

Vintage:

• 2022

ABV:

• 13%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Classic

Style:

Food Wine

Region: Dalmatia, Croatia

The Skaramuča family manages the largest vineyard in the prestigious Dingač appellation on the Pelješac Peninsula. This challenging region, known for producing Croatia's finest Plavac Mali, is home to only a few growers who produce limited quantities of wine. The rugged terrain demands extensive manual labor, with the sun and wind naturally drying the grapes on the vine, ensuring natural yield control. The robust and concentrated Plavac Mali grape flourishes here, creating exceptional wines with great aging potential. - Vinum

Grilled vegetables, roast chicken with herbs, salt cod, saffron rice, aged Manchego

Dried orange peel, apricot skin, chamomile, almond, wild herbs, light tannin, stony minerality

Varietal:

Macabeu

Vintage:

• 2023

ABV:

• 11%

Funky Scale:

Middle of the Road

Style:

Region: Catalonia, Spain

Núria Renom is a Barcelona based winemaker whose path into wine was shaped as much by hospitality as by the vineyard. Originally from Argentina, she moved to Spain at a young age and gravitated early toward wine, studying in Italy, training as a sommelier, and working harvests across Europe.

In 2013, Núria became head sommelier at Bar Brutal, one of the defining spaces of Spain’s natural wine movement. A year later, she began making her own wines using fruit from friends within the Catalan natural wine community, working with organically and regeneratively farmed vineyards from growers such as Ton Rimbau and Toni Carbó of La Salada.

Mushroom risotto, pasta with tomato sauce, cured meats, grilled salmon, roasted root vegetables

Wild strawberry, red cherry, orange peel, dried herbs, baking spice, light tannin, savory finish

Varietal:

Pinot Grigio

Vintage:

• 2021

ABV:

• 13.5%

Funky Scale:

Mostly Funky

Style:

Region: Vipava Valley, Slovenia

High above the Vipava Valley, Mansus is a small family project from the Makovec family, farming steep hillside vineyards in the village of Brje. Up here, warm Mediterranean air meets cooler continental winds from the Karst Plateau, creating a natural balance in the vines.

The vineyards are farmed organically, and the cellar work stays hands off. All wines ferment with native yeasts only, with no additives or shortcuts. Mansus is also among the few producers working with Klarnica, a rare indigenous grape native to Vipava, helping preserve the region’s wine heritage.

The wines are quietly expressive and textural, with freshness, gentle grip, and a clear sense of place. They are not flashy, just honest, naturally made wines that feel rooted in where they come from.