Fall 2023 Natural Wine Salons
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Fall 2023 Natural Wine Salons
A handy calendar of international natural wine salons for September, October, and November 2023. Plus: chats with Loïc Roure and Byron Bates, and a visit to Chagny's finest natural wine bar.
This autumn has been a maelstrom, and it’s only just beginning. A searing unseasonal heatwave in Paris; violent hail in the Roussillon; and no shortage of passionate feedback about my recent articles about machine harvesting in Burgenland. My friend the wine journalist Felicity Carter helpfully pointed out that Meinklang’s indignation about my reporting may have derived partly from cultural differences, as Central European media maintains what she calls “a dishonourable tradition of ‘quote approval,’ where the journalist runs either the article or the quotes by the subject before publication.”
Live and learn, I guess. Today marks a return to less controversial fare: my seasonal round-up of international natural wine salons. It covers the months of September, October, and November 2023. The information will evolve, so be sure to check back on the website for updates before booking any travel. (Organizers: if I’ve left your event out or gotten details wrong, please get in touch!)
Lastly, here’s a trio of new reports for subscribers:
A post-harvest INTERVIEW with pioneering ROUSSILLON vigneron and co-organizer of the LA BANDE DE LATOUR salon series, LOIC ROURE, on his decision to drastically DIMINISH his vineyard surface at DOMAINE DU POSSIBLE.
A visit to DES VIGNES ET DES HOMMES, a cosy, off-the-radar BURGUNDY natural wine destination in CHAGNY run by YVES BRUNIER, co-organizer of the upcoming salon LES ZINZINS DU COMPTOIR.
TEN QUESTIONS for BYRON BATES, NY-based natural wine importer (as GOATBOY SELECTIONS) and founder of the WILD WORLD FESTIVAL salon series.
Keep an ear out for the second half of PARIS NATURAL WINE LIFERS, the first series of the NOT DRINKING POISON podcast, coming soon. In the meantime, wish me luck on my second harvest of the season, from abandoned hybrid vines in a wholly non-viticultural sector of the Loiret. I’m hoping to top last year’s production: thirty-four bottles.
Many thanks for reading, as always!
FALL 2023 NATURAL WINE SALONS
SEPTEMBER
September 18th: DEGUSTATION PROFESSIONELLE (Paris, FR)
SITE: 51bis, rue Raspail, 94700 MAISONS-ALFORT
HOURS: Trade-only, 10:30am - 5pm.
WHO: Vincent Wallard, along with Paris wine agent Catherine Grande. Details here.
September 23rd: RANDO VINEUSE (Troyes, FR)
SITE: Starts at Claire & Hugo, 77 Av. du Général Gallieni, 10300 SAINTE-SAVINE, ends at Aux Crieurs de Vin, 4 Pl. Jean Jaurès, 10000 TROYES
HOURS: 3pm to 6pm.
WHO: Not a natural wine salon, but rather a walking and tasting tour organized by Aux Crieurs de Vin and other fine establishments around the town of Troyes. By reservation only. Details here.
September 24th: DEJEUNER SOLIDAIRE X PAYE TON PINARD (Vitry-sur-Sein, FR)
SITE: At the home of a chef called Fred in Vitry-sur-Seine. Contact organizers for exact address.
HOURS: 3pm to 6pm.
WHO: Not a natural wine salon, but rather a BYOB lunch priced at 50€, with 40% going towards Isabelle Perraud’s Paye Ton Pinard association dedicated to fighting sexism and misogyny in wine. Details here.
OCTOBER
October 8th-9th: LES ZINZINS DU COMPTOIR (Chagny, FR)
SITE: La Maison du Peuple, 4 place Marcel Charollais, 71150 CHAGNY
HOURS: Sunday from 2pm - 6pm. Monday from 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Domaine Derain / Julien Altaber & Carole Schwab, Renaud Boyer, Jean-Marie Berrux, Antoine Petitprez, Gilles Ballorin, Clair Obscur, Julien Guillot, Vin Noé, Bastien Wolber, and many more natural and natural-leaning Burgundy vigneron(ne)s, organized by Julien Altaber and Des Vignes et Des Hommes caviste Yves Brunier. Full list forthcoming here, I assume.
October 16th: PEPIE (Paris, FR)
SITE: L'Avant Poste and La Curieuse Cave, 7 et 11 rue de la Fidélité, 75010 PARIS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Corentin Houillon, Laura Aillaud, La Vigne Mouton, Marc Pesnot, JC Comor, and more. Organized by wine agent Marie-Lucie Hequet. Full list forthcoming here, presumably.
October 16th: ETABLISSEMENTS MOOTS (Paris, FR)
SITE: Hotel Grand Amour, 16 rue de la Fidélité, 75010 PARIS
HOURS: 11am - 6pm.
WHO: Champagne Fleury, Domaine Mosse, Clos du Tue-Boeuf, Jean Foillard, Ad Vinum, Mas Mellet, Alain Allier, and more. Full list here.
October 20th-22nd: LE VIN EST UNE FETE (Lyon, FR)
SITE: IN-STED, 6 rue de la Part-Dieu, 69003 LYON
HOURS: Friday from 6pm - 11pm. Saturday and Sunday from 11am - 11pm.
WHO: Domaine Bonnet-Cotton, Remi et Patricia Bonneton, Clos Bateau, Justin Dutraive, Lori Haon, Edouard Adam, Romain Hénin, Olivier Cohen, Maison Valette, and more. Full list here.
October 22nd: LE BIG BANG (Mercantour, FR)
SITE: L’Auberge de la Roche, Valdeblore, 06420 MERCANTOUR
HOURS: 11am - 6pm.
WHO: Organized by L’Auberge de la Roche in conjunction with Aux Crieurs de Vin, Le Verre Volé, and La Part des Anges. Maison Valette, Julien Guillot, Clos du Tue-Boeuf, Domaine Dandelion, Yvon Métras, Jean Foillard, Béatrice & Hervé Souhaut, Manu Lassaigne, Damien Bastian, and more. Full list here.
October 22nd-23rd: GNOLES NATURELLES (Paris, FR)
SITE: 200 Quai de Valmy, 75010 PARIS
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Quentin Le Cleac’h and other distillers of natural spirts. Full list forthcoming here.
October 21st-23rd: SOVRA NATURALE (Bari, IT)
SITE: Castello Normano Svevo, Piazza Federico II di Svevia, 70122 BARI
HOURS: Saturday 4pm - 9pm, free entry to what appears to be a pre-tasting exposition from local wine shops. Sunday and Monday, 12pm - 8pm.
WHO: JNK, and other estates I haven’t heard of. Full list here.
October 23rd: APOCALYPSE WINE (Paris, FR)
SITE: Le Pavillon du Lac, Parc des Buttes Chaumont, 75019 PARIS
HOURS: 10:30am - 6:30pm. Trade-only.
WHO: Estates represented by Paris wine agent Jeff Spina, including Nicolas Reau, Sylvie Augereau, Karim Vionnet, Château Sainte Anne, Marcel Joubert, Sébastien Brunet, and more. Full list here.
October 28th: PERIPHERAL (Hudson, NY - USA)
SITE: TBC.
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Fable Farm Fermentory, Florez Wines, and more. Full list here.
October 28th-29th: JURE CRACHE (Nancy, FR)
SITE: L’Octroi, 47 boulevard d’Austrasie, 54000 NANCY
HOURS: 10am - 8pm.
WHO: L’Arbre Viké, Maison Crochet, Anaïs Fanti, Domaine Sauveterre, and more. Full list here.
October 28th-29th: MADE IN ELSASS (Watermael-Boitsfort, BE)
SITE: Place Antoine Gilson, 2, B-1170 WATERMAEL-BOITSFORT, Belgium
HOURS: 11am - 6pm.
WHO: Christophe Lindenlaub, Domaine Geschickt, and Christian Binner, alongside quite a few not-so-natural biodynamic estates. It’s never a great sign when the word “nature” is put in scare quotes on the flyer. Full list here.
October 29th: YARD FESTIVAL (Paris, FR)
SITE: YARD, 6 rue du Mont-Louis, 75011 PARIS
HOURS: 11am - 8pm.
WHO: Patrick Bouju, Frank Cornelissen, Partida Creus, Clos Lentiscus, Domaine des Miquettes, Fond Cyprès, and more. Full list here.
October 29th-30th: VINI DI VIGNAOLI (Fornovo di Taro, IT)
SITE: Foro 2000, 7 Via Giuseppe di Vittorio, 43045 FORNOVO DI TARO
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Camilo Donati, Carussin, Bera, Andrea Occhipinti, and more. Full list here.
October 29th-30th: POP! (Nîmes, FR)
SITE: Paloma - SMAC, 250 Chem. de l'Aérodrome, 30000 NIMES
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Twenty-five winemakers and artisanal distillers, including Mas Mellet, Coeur de Cuivre, and Quentin Le Cleac’h. Full list forthcomng here.
October 29th-30th: WILD WORLD (Brooklyn, NY - USA)
SITE: Strong Rope Brewery Red Hook, 185 Van Dyke Street, BROOKLYN, NY 11231
HOURS: Ticketed panels from 6pm - 10pm on the 29th. Tasting from 12pm - 6:30pm on the 30th.
WHO: Florez Wines, Brasserie des Voirons, Wild Arc Farms, and more. Full list here.
NOVEMBER
November 4th: KARAKTERRE (New York, USA)
SITE: Rockefeller Center, 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
HOURS: 11:30am - 6pm.
WHO: Full list forthcoming here. A who’s-who of natural and natural-ish Austrian and Central European wine estates.
November 4th: BY THE WAY (RICHMOND - CA, USA)
SITE: The Study Wine Bar, 1401 Marina Way S #280, RICHMOND, CA 94804
HOURS: 1pm - 5pm.
WHO: Twenty natural wine producers. Purity Wine, Bardos Cider, and more. Full list here.
November 4th-5th: BRUT(ES) (Mulhouse, FR)
SITE: Motoko, 13 Rue de Pfastatt, 68200 MULHOUSE
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Full list forthcoming here.
November 4th-5th: SOUS LES PAVES, LA VIGNE (Lyon, FR)
SITE: Place de la Bourse, 69002 LYON
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Organized by French natural wine journalist Antonin Iommi Amunategui. Isabelle et Bruno Perraud, Jean-Claude Lapalu, Vincent Couche, and many more. Full list here.
November 5th: PORTES OUVERTES A LATOUR DE FRANCE (Latour-de-France, FR)
SITE: “Chez les vignerons et dans les rues” - at the vignerons’ cellars and in the streets of Latour-de-France.
HOURS: 10am - 6:00pm.
WHO: Full list forthcoming here.
November 6th: LE NEZ DANS LE VERT (Paris, FR)
SITE: Restaurant Caché, 23 Ville Riverolle, 75020 PARIS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: A who’s-who of natural Jura estates. Full list here.
November 10th-11th: NATURWEIN (Paris, FR)
SITE: Reaktor, Geblergasse 36/40, 1170 VIENNA
HOURS: Friday 1pm - 8pm. Saturday 11am - 6pm.
WHO: Organized by Vienna natural wine importer Weinskandal. Sixty vignerons, including Alexandre Bain, Domaine Derain, CHristian Tschida, Marto Wines, Werlitsch, and many more. Full list here.
November 11th-12th: VINS NATURE EN NORD (Ennevelin, FR)
SITE: 33 route de Templeuve, 59710 ENNEVELIN
HOURS: Saturday 10am - 7pm, Sunday 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Domaine David-Beaupère, Domaine Lapierre, Marc Delienne, Ruppert-Leroy, Raphael Monnier, Lise et Bertrand Jousset, Domaine Mosse, Domaine Tessier, Johanna Cécillon, and many more estates, some more natural than others. Full list here.
November 12th: ENCOUNTER (Richmond, VA)
SITE: Institute for Contemporary Art, 601 W Broad St, RICHMOND, VA 23220
HOURS: Industry-only tasting from 12pm - 1pm. Tasting and panel discussions from 1pm - 5pm.
WHO: Franz Strohmeier, Vino di Anna, Clos Lentiscus, Pheasants’ Tears, Andi Mann, Andi Weigand, and more. Full list forthcoming here. Panel speakers include Alice Feiring, Lee Campbell, and Mads Kleppe.
November 12th: : LA GRANDE DEBOUCHE (Lyas, FR)
SITE: Château de Liviers, 260 Allée du château, 07000 LYAS
HOURS: 11am - midnight.
WHO: A collaboration between seven fine Ardèche restaurants, including La Ferme de la Besse, L’Espousse, and more. Expect many natural Ardèche vignerons.
November 12th: LA BATTLE DU GAMAY (Vair-sur-Loire, FR)
SITE: Château de Vair, 44150 VAIR-SUR-LOIRE
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Organized by Loire vigneronne Marie Carroget and journalist Elodie Louchez, it’s a tasting dedicated to gamay from throughout France and beyond. Full list forthcoming here, presumably.
November 12th-13th: RAW WINE (New York, NY)
SITE: 99 Scott Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
HOURS: Sunday 11am - 6pm. Monday 10am - 5pm.
WHO: Marioni Wine, Muchada-Léclapart, La Garagista, and many more estates, most somewhat larger in scale. Full list here.
November 12th-13th: AUGUSTA E FIERA DEL VINO (Turin, IT)
SITE: Bunker, Via Niccolò Paganini, 0/200, 10154 TORINO
HOURS: 11am - 6pm.
WHO: Costadilà, Le Coste, Morgane Turlier, Amélie Vuillot & Sébastien Jacques, Remi Poujol, Franz Strohmeier, Glow Glow, and more. Full list forthcoming here.
November 13th: VELLA TERRA MADRID (Madrid, ES)
SITE: DIMAD, P.º de la Chopera, 14, 28045 MADRID
HOURS: 1pm - 8pm.
WHO: Sifer Wines, Vega Aixalà, Abbia Nova, Domaines des Magesses, David Kušický, JNK, and many more. Full list here.
November 15th: RAW WINE (Toronto, CA)
SITE: Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St, Studio 171, Toronto ON, M6G 4C7
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Current and formerly natural wine estates including Le Puy, Frank Cornelissen, Radikon, Slobodné, and more. Full list here.
November 18th: ERUPTED (Levice, SK)
SITE: 1, Kalmána Kittenbergera 3191, 934 01 LEVICE
HOURS: 12pm - 6pm.
WHO: Organized by Slovakian estate Marvla Tindo, in collaboration with Czech natural wine impresario Jan Culik. Full list forthcoming here, presumably.
November 18th-19th: RAW WINE (Montreal, CA)
SITE: Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay, 200 de la Commune St W, Montreal, Quebec H2Y 4B2
HOURS: 10am - 6pm. Trade-only from 10am - 1:30pm both days.
WHO: La Biancara, Rennersistas, Lise et Bertrand Jousset, Maloof Wines, Clos Lentiscus, Radikon, and many more estates, most with significantly less presence in the natural wine market. Full list here.
November 18th-19th: FOUDRES (Rennes, FR)
SITE: Les Ateliers du vent, 59 Rue Alexandre Duval, 35000 RENNES
HOURS: 11am - 7pm.
WHO: Full list forthcoming here.
November 19th-20th: VOLVER VOLVER (Mexico City, MX)
SITE: TBC.
HOURS: TBC.
WHO: Full list forthcoming here.
November 19th-20th: VINI DI VIGNAOLI A PARIS (Paris, FR)
SITE: Le Palais de la femme, 94 rue de Charonne, 75011 PARIS
HOURS: Sunday from 11am - 7pm. Monday from 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Full list here.
November 20th: LE VIN DE MES AMIS (Paris, FR)
SITE: La Maison d’Amérique Latine, 217 Bd Saint-Germain, 75007 PARIS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Domaine Senat and their friends. Full list here.
November 25th-26th: SALON DU VIN NU (Aiffres, FR)
SITE: Espace Pied Blanc, AIFFRES 79230
HOURS: Saturday 2pm - 6pm, Sunday 10:30am - 5:30pm.
WHO: Vincent et Stéphanie Deboutbertin, Sylvain Martinez, Romain Verger, and more. Full list here.
More to come, surely. Please check back on this post on the NOT DRINKING POISON Substack for future updates.
FURTHER READING & LISTENING
A post-harvest interview with Rousillon vigneron Loïc Roure, co-organizer of the La Bande de Latour salon series.
Ten questions for wine importer Byron Bates, founder of the Wild World Festival salon series.
A visit to Chagny wine shop and wine bar Des Vignes et des Hommes.
Series 1 of the NOT DRINKING POISON Podcast: Paris Natural Wine Lifers
Perhaps things are changing. As Chris Sciacca, a PR specialist turned Austrian winemaker, added to the exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter: “‘Off the record’ exists only in movies and politics. If you don’t want to see or read it in an article, don’t say it or show it.”