Winter 2023 Natural Wine Salons
A handy calendar of international natural wine tastings for Winter 2023. Plus: three interviews with the vignerons behind three noteworthy salons.
Happy 2023, folks! Following several years of pandemic discombobulation, this winter heralds a return to natural wine calendar normalcy, which is to say an unmanageable pile-up of overlapping tastings in early February.
There appear to be even more events than usual this year, as the continued success - and the entrenched rosters - of the established natural wine salons in Angers and Saumur spur many younger and / or more radical natural vignerons to splinter off into smaller satellite salons.
It is a time of natural wine fragmentation - a good thing, on balance, since it breaks up the crowds.
As ever, the natural wine tastings cited below are just the ones I have on my own radar this winter. The list covers the months of January and February 2023. (Events organizers: if I’ve left your event out, or gotten any details wrong, please get in touch!)
Lastly, here are some bonus reports for subscribers:
An archive INTERVIEW with journalist-turned-vigneronne SYLVIE AUGEREAU, longtime organizer of LA DIVE BOUTEILLE.
An archive INTERVIEW with co-founder of LA RENAISSANCE DES APPELLATIONS and pioneering ANJOU vigneron MARK ANGELI, on his problem with the phrase “NATURAL WINE.”
An archive INTERVIEW with the founders of VINS S.A.I.N.S., radical MACONNAIS vignerons CATHERINE AND GILLES VERGÉ, who will forever change how you look at BOTTLED WATER.
Many thanks for reading, as always! Remember to drink lots of water, even if some of it does come in bottles.
WINTER 2023 NATURAL WINE SALONS
JANUARY
Jan. 15th: VINO IN-DIPENDENTE (CALVISANO, IT)
SITE: Sala Polivalente Beata Cristina, Via S. Michele, 25012 CALVISANO
HOURS: 10:30am - 8pm.
WHO: Forti del Vento, Carussin, and many Italian estates I haven’t heard of. Full list here.
Jan. 16th: LE PARIS DES SENS (Paris, FR)
SITE: Restaurant Caché, 13 Villa Riberolle, 75020 PARIS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Vignerons represented by Paris wine agency Le Paris des Sens: Romain Henin, Petite Empreinte, Dame Jeanne, Jérémy Recchione, Maison Maenad, Zéroïne, Damien Bastian, Nathalie Banes, Julien Merle, Baptiste Nayrand, Simon Gastrein, Brasserie du Mont Salève, Distillerie Spiral, and many more.
Jan. 16th: AU COUDE A COUDE (Paris, FR)
SITE: L'atelier Richelieu, 60 Rue de Richelieu, 75002 PARIS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Christophe Lindenlaub, Domaine Ballorin, Laurence and Rémi Dufaitre, Antoine Sanzay, Champagne Drappier, and many more. Quite a few not-so-natural estates in the overall mix.
Jan. 17th: ANYTHING BUT VINIFERA (Miami, FL - USA)
SITE: Paradis Books & Bread, 12831 West Dixie Highway, MIAMI, FL 33161
HOURS: 11am - 8pm.
WHO: A bevy of socially-conscious producers emphasizing fermented beverages produced from non-vinifera grape varieties and other fruit. It is a little difficult, on the basis of the salon’s Instagram account, to determine whether, or to what extent, the participants hew to the basic natural wine principles of the non-use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture and the non-use of additives in winemaking. Many of the advertised talking points appear intended to cast these aspects as a “dogma” that must be abandoned in order to effect social change. But I might be reading too skeptically. In any case, I am sorry to miss this tasting! It looks interesting. List of participants forthcoming here, presumably.
Jan. 20th-21st: LA GRANDE DESCENTE (Boug Saint Maurice, FR)
SITE: Chez O’Gust, Les Arcs 1800, 73700 BOURG SAINT MAURICE
HOURS: TBC
WHO: A weekend of wine tasting and skiing featuring Remi Dufaitre, Alex Foillard, Château Cambon, Jérôme Lenoir, Barbara Lebled, Laurent Lebled, Patrick Corbineau, Sylvain Liotard, Corentin Houillon, Justine & Patrick Bouju. What could possibly go wrong?
Jan. 21st: BOTTLED ALIVE (Tabor, CZ)
SITE: Žižkova 249, 39001 TABOR
HOURS: 11am - 6pm
WHO: Dobrá vinice, Dlúhé grefty, Martin Vajčner, Vinařství Herzánovi, Slobodné vinárstvo, Porta Bohemica, Milan Nestarec, Marvla Tindo, Euforia, Utopia, Claus Preisinger, Heinrich, Jas Swan, Andert Wein, and many more Czech and central European estates, organized by Tábor natural wine impresario Jan Culik. Full list here.
Jan. 21st-22nd: RENCONTRES VIN PASSION (Lyon, FR)
SITE: 1 Rue Maryse Bastié, 69500 BRON
HOURS: Saturday 2pm - 7pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm.
WHO: Alessandra Bera, Francesca Padovani, La Stoppa, Domaine Chasselay, Alice and Olivier de Moor, Château Sainte Anne, Domaine Labet, and Marcel Richaud, in addition to a plethora of other estates, some with little or no involvement in the natural wine scene. Full list here.
Jan. 21st-23rd: PORTES OUVERTES - MAISON STEPHAN (Tupin et Semons, FR)
SITE: 20bis Route de Lyon, 69420 TUPIN ET SEMONS
HOURS: 9am - 7pm.
WHO: Just the venerable natural Côte Rôtie estate Maison Stephan, who will be offering guided visits of their new cellar, along boards of charcuterie and cheese in their épicerie space.
Jan. 29th-30th: LES VIGNERONS DE L’IRREEL (Montpellier, FR)
SITE: 188 Avenue du marché Gare, 34070 MONTPELLIER
HOURS: 10:30am - 6pm.
WHO: Philippe Delmée, Nicolas Suteau, Vincent Wallard, Nathalia Santo, Victor Blondin, Julien Merle, Mataburro, Le Raisin et L’Ange, Joe Jefferies, and many other radical natural vignerons in the extended network of Ivo Ferreira and Julie Brosselin. Full list here.
Jan. 29th-30th: LE VIN DE MES AMIS (Montpellier, FR)
SITE: La Halle Tropisme, 121 rue Fontcouverte 34000 MONTPELLIER
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Laura Aillaud, Château Le Puy, Camille et Mathieu Apffel, Jean-Baptiste Arena, Antoine Arraou, Les Enfants Sauvages, Domaine Breton, Jean-Christophe Comor, Julien Guillot, Domaine Vallette, Domaine Lapierre, Domaine Foillard, and many more in the extended network of Charlotte Senat. Full list here.
Jan. 29th-30th: LES AFFRANCHIS (Montpellier, FR)
SITE: 1744 Av. Albert Einstein, 34000 MONTPELLIER
HOURS: Sunday 10am - 7pm, Monday 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Julien Albertus, La Grange de l’Oncle Charles, Kéké Descombes, Rémi Dufaitre, Jean-Claude Lapalu, Château Meylet, Antoine Lienhardt, Jean-Marie Berrux, Domaine Robert-Denogent, Sybil Baldassarre, Alexandre Durand, Clément Barrault, Marc Pesnot, Domaine Tessier, Jean Delobre, and many more in the extended network of retailer and author Laetitia Laure. Full list here.
Jan. 29th-30th: BIOTOP (Montpellier, FR)
SITE: Les Grands Chais, 34130 MAUGIO
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Domaine Milan, Achillée, Domaine Fleith, Carine Joubert, Champagne Lelarge-Pugeot, Domaine Partagé, Recaredo, and many other estates (quite a few who are “just” organic and not especially into the natural wine thing). Full list here.
Jan. 30th-31st: ROOTS AND FRIENDS (Montpellier, FR)
SITE: Château de la Mogère, 2235 Route de Vauguiéres, 34000 MONTPELLIER
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Sylvère Trichard, Domaine Léonis, Quentin Le Cleac’h, Mathieu Coste, Stéphane Morin, Frédéric Rivaton, Slobodne, La Cave Apicole, and many more. Full list here.
Jan. 31st: LES INSOLENTS (Uzès, FR)
SITE: Les Insolents, 5 Bd Victor Hugo, 30700 UZES
HOURS: 10h30 - 18h30.
WHO: Valentin Vallès, Les Frères Soulier, Ad Vinum, Thomas Bouet, La Ferme du Cade, Les Vin Ivres, Domaine de la Goguette, Paul Chabal, Nectar Vins, La Savonnerie Simple.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 1st: UN MERCREDI… (Le Teil, FR)
SITE: : Salle Paul Avon, 07400 LE TEIL
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Frangins Ozil, Raisin & l’Ange, Sam Boulay, Jérôme Jouret, Gregory Guillaume, Les 2 Terres, Richard & Laurent Kien, Les Lendemains qui Chantent, Colin Alex, Jérôme Vigne, Didier Cazac, Andrea Calek, Mas Escarida, Les 2 Fauves, Les Pauzes, Paul Barlet, Maud Adnot, Les Vigneaux, Le Mazel, Sylvain Bock, Anders Steen & Anne Blauert, La Vrille & le Papillon, Vignoble Doulmet, Domaine Olivier de Serres, Les Bois Perdus, Loublachon, Mas Intras, Les Coteaux de la Pote, Petite Nature, Pierre Bourlier, Domaine de l’Iserand, Les 7 Lunes, Johan Tete, Etienne Signovert, Thibaud Capellaro, Vindiou, Domaine des Barraques, Domaine des Miquettes, Le Bec, Domaine de Morlanche, Jordi Torgue & Daniel Sage, Hugo Vercasson, Permapinard, L’Alezan & la Tangente, Mathias Barralon, La Ferme de l’Arbre.
Feb. 2nd: DESGUSTATION CLANDESTINE N°3 (Aurières, FR)
SITE: La Pie Folle Randanne, 63210 AURIERES
HOURS: 1:30pm - 6:30pm. Limited to existing clients of the estates.
WHO: Babass, Vincent and Marie Tricot, Pierre Cotton & Marine Bonnet, JC Garnier, Simon Rouillard, Benoît Courault, Alain Allier, Gilles Azzoni, Jules Métras, Camille et Mickael Hyvert, L’Anglore.
Feb. 2nd-4th: LES PENITENTES (Savennières, FR)
SITE: Salle du Fresne, rue du Fresne, 49170 SAVENNIERES
HOURS: Thursday 2pm - 6pm. Friday and Saturday 10am - 6pm.
WHO: The habitual cohorts of Thierry Puzelat, Hervé Villemade, the Mosses, and Pierre-Olivier Bohomme, including Laureano Serres, Ramaz Nikoladze, Jean Foillard, John Wurdeman, Julien Altaber, Manu Lassaigne, Jean-François Nicq, Laurence Krieff, Julien Labet, and more. Full list here.
Feb. 3rd: SALON DES VINS NAT’ ET S.A.I.N.S. (Brigné, FR)
SITE: Lieu-dit Boisairault, 49700 BRIGNE
HOURS: 3pm - 8pm.
WHO: Rémi Sédès, Elise Hamant, Etienne Thiebaud, Morgane Turlier, Arnaud Greiner, Simon Busser, L’Ostal Levant, L'Absurde Génie des Fleurs, Jean-Marie Brousset, Gaelle et Baptiste Cousin, and a delegation of vignerons from the VINS S.A.I.N.S. association.
Feb. 3rd-4th: SALON SALON (Rochefort-sur-Loire, FR)
SITE: Salle de la Prée, 49990 ROCHEFORT-SUR-LOIRE
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Philippe Delmée, Grégory White, Simon Rouillard, Domaine Bobinet, Stéphane Cyran, Thomas Bouet, Salima & Alain Cordeuil, and many more estates, including quite a few who have just debuted. Full list here.
Feb. 4th: LES JU(S)VENILS (Glaine-Montaigut, FR)
SITE: 63160 GLAINE MONTAIGUT
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Jaufre Mas, Claire Freist, Henri Chauvet, L'Eau qui Dort, Pierre Fouquet, Hannah Fuellenkemper, Domaine du Petit Bouchon, Les Vins Drach, Aurélie Crozet, Axel Domont, Didier Cazac, Ketura Roux, Raphael Raybois, Domaine du Sablier, Domaine de l'Epeire, Clos Présent, and Rémédio Vini.
Feb. 4th: JAS SWAN’S VAN (Angers, FR)
SITE: A parking lot near the Grenier Saint Jean in Angers.
HOURS: 6pm - 8pm.
WHO: Rheinhessen négociante Jas Swan of Katla Wines will host a renegade satellite micro-tasting out of her van, with a handful of friends including Stagiaire Wine, Alexander and Maria Koppitsch, and La Paonnerie. More details to come soon via her Instagram.
Feb. 4th: LE SALON DE RABLAY (Bellevigne-en-Layon, FR)
SITE: Le Logis de la Contrèche, 3, La Contrèche, 49380 BELLEVIGNE-EN-LAYON
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Kenji and Mai Hodgson, Julien Rousselot, Olivier Lejeune, Renaud Boyer, Christophe Lindenlaub, Guillaume Noire, Les Errances, Aude Duval & Sylvain Ohayon, Caroline and Rémy Kaneko, Thibaud Capellaro.
Feb. 4th-5th: SALON GRENIER SAINT JEAN (Angers, FR)
SITE: Pl. du Tertre Saint-Laurent, 49000 ANGERS
HOURS: 10am-7pm.
WHO: List not yet published, as far as I know. Presumably forthcoming here at some point. A list of members of the Renaissance des Appellations can be found here.
Feb. 5th: CHAI! (Angers, FR)
SITE: 1006 - 3 Prom. de la Baumette, 49000 ANGERS
HOURS: 10am-6pm.
WHO: A lot of natural and natural-ish négociants, including Bruno Ciofi, Fred Niger, Pauline Lair, Clos de l’Origine, Vinocéros, and Emmanuel Giboulot. Full list here.
Feb. 5th: NATURALL WINE FAIR (Chemillé-en-Anjou, FR)
SITE: Le Moulin de Drapras - 6 Drapras, 49120 CHEMILLE EN ANJOU.
HOURS: 10am to 6pm.
WHO: A score of vignerons from France and Spain, including Babass, Partida Creus, Julie Balagny, Patrick Bouju, Aurelien Lefort, Clos Lentiscus, Benoit Rosenberger, Jean-Christophe Garnier, Fred Gounan, etc. Full list here.
Feb. 5th: LES ANONYMES (Angers, FR)
SITE: Salons Curnonsky, 6 place Maurice Saillant, 49000 ANGERS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Damien Bureau, Jean-Marc Dreyer, Adrien Di Mello, Fabrice Chaillou, Domaine du Matin Calme, Benoît Camus, Karnage, L’Octavin, No Control, L’Alezan, and many more. Full list here.
Feb. 5th-6th: LA DIVE BOUTEILLE (Saumur, FR)
SITE: Caves Ackermann, 19 Rue Léopold Palustre, 49400 SAUMUR
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: A huge assembly of natural wine estates convened by journalist-vigneronne Sylvie Augereau. Full list here.
Feb. 6th: PORTES GRANDES OUVERTES RUE DES BELLES CAVES (Berrie, FR)
SITE: 10 Rue des Belles Caves, 86120 BERRIE
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: François Saint Lô, Stanislas Bersan, Patrick Bouju, Alain Castex, Le Raisin et L’Ange, Julie Balagny, Le Temps Retrouvé, Raisin Sauvage, Manuel Pineau, Les Closeries des Moussis, Cuatro Manos, and more.
Feb. 6th-7th: SALON DES VINS DEMETER (Angers, FR)
SITE: Parc des expositions d’Angers, Rte de Paris, 49000 ANGERS
HOURS: 10am - 7pm.
WHO: Kleinknecht, Bernard Vallette, Céline et Laurent Tripoz, Champagne Etienne Sandrin, Champagne Lelarge-Pugeot, Mas Foulaquier, and Fondugues-Pradugues, in addition to a plethora of “just” biodynamic estates, many with little or no involvement in the natural wine scene. Full list here.
Feb. 6th-7th: LA LEVEE DE LA LOIRE (Angers, FR)
SITE: Parc des expositions d’Angers, Rte de Paris, 49000 ANGERS
HOURS: 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Les Sablonettes, Stéphane Rocher, Domaine de la Bonne Tonne, Sébastien Brunet, Famille Chasselay, Isabelle and Bruno Perraud, and Domaine Tessier, in addition to a plethora of “just” organic estates, many with little or no involvement in the natural wine scene. Full list here.
Feb. 12th -13th: SALO DE VINS NATURALS DE BARCELONA (Barcelona, ES)
SITE: Nau Bostik, Calle Ferran Turné 1-11, 08027 BARCELONA
HOURS: TBC. Can’t find them listed for the moment.
WHO: Barranco Oscuro, Bodega Cauzón / Vinos Naturales, Celler La Gutina, Nacho Gonzalez, La Zafra Vinos, Raúl Calle Viticultor, Celler Tomàs T., and many more. Full list here.
Feb. 12th -13th: VINARI (Milan, IT)
SITE: Studio Novanta, Via Mecenate, 88/a, 20138 MILAN
HOURS: 10am-7pm.
WHO: Abbia Nova, Barbacan, Carussin, Damiano Ciolli, Radikon, Tenute Dettori, and many, many more Italian wine estates that are more or less on the natural spectrum. Full list here.
Feb. 25th -26th: VERTIGVINEUX (Ostheim, FR)
SITE: Salle des fêtes de Ostheim, 68150 OSTHEIM
HOURS: Saturday 10am - 7pm, Sunday 10am - 6pm.
WHO: Christian Lericq, Jan Tailler, Guillaume Lavie, Hubert and Heidi Hausherr, La Grange de Noue Méa, and many estates I haven’t heard of. Full list here.
Feb. 26th: CORBIERES LIBRES (Paris, FR)
SITE: Chez Eugène, 17 place du Tertre, 75018 PARIS
HOURS: From 2pm. Dinner with reservation.
WHO: La Mazières, Nicolas Bastin, Pierre Jancou, Aozina, and more.
More information to come, surely. Please check back on this post on the NOT DRINKING POISON Substack for updates.
Also: Chai (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=235175889060772&set=a.199371495974545)
So many!
I know the vigneronne from Clos Kixhaya (Chinon), among others, is going to a salon at Rue des Belles Caves in Berrie on the 6th. I'll be going :)