In this installment of “Where The Experts Shop”, Katherine Clary, founder of the Wine Zine , and author of the newly published book Wine, Unfiltered shares her go-to digital haunts for natural wines.
While I’ll always maintain that going into a wine shop, chatting with the shopkeeper, and dutifully inspecting each bottle before purchasing is my preferred way to shop for wine, the current state of the world is not allowing us to have nice things. Fine! No matter: it’s 2020, and small, natural wine-focused shops around the country are shipping straight to your door.
The one thing I love about shopping for wine online is the opportunity to really spend time reading descriptions, which translates to learning about the wine. (Yes, that’s right, you can get a something of a wine education while shopping for wine—if you’re doing it in the right place.) Unfortunately, wine labels aren’t required to list the many additives that end up in most wine, which gives us all the more reason to shop from trusted sources that will tell you what a winemaker believes in, or at least how they make their wine. Low sulfites? Native yeast? Hand-picked grapes? Woman-owned? You’re about to be a kid adult in a candy natural wine store.
The best online shops love what they do and are eager to share their knowledge about an esoteric grape, region, or winemaker on their website and in their newsletters. Come for the wine, stay for the facts about foot-crushing and donkey-plowed land.
Shop from the comfort of your couch for a hazy, orange-like-sunset fizzy pet-nat (a natural method of creating a lightly sparkling wine) or the chilled, dusty red you’ve been meaning to make your house wine. These are the shops I’ve bookmarked and think you should, too. I also encourage a sign-up to their newsletters, where you’ll sometimes get subscriber-only discounts or early notifications about new arrivals.
Katherine Clary is a wine writer and editor focused on low-intervention and natural wines. She is the founder of the Wine Zine , a biannual print publication about natural wine and the author of Wine, Unfiltered .
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Table of Contents
Vinovore
If you’re looking for a special bottle of low-intervention wine made by a female winemaker, look no further than Vinovore (which is female-owned, too!) I love reading her tasting notes, which include handwritten comments like “Listen close, this wine sizzles.”
TRY: Stolpman’s ‘Love You Bunches’, a cold red strawberry dream.
Stolpman Love You Bunches, $, available at Vinovore
Kingston Wine Co.
Owner Michael Drapkin has an in-depth selection of natural wine (plus natural sake, cider, and some spirits) at his shop, which is nestled in upstate New York. I admire his ability to procure both experimental innovators in natural wine alongside the originators of the low-intervention movement.
TRY: Agnés & René Mosse’s Magic of Juju, a fun expression of Chenin Blanc, which might be my favorite grape.
Agnès & René Mosse Magic of Juju, $, available at Kingston Wine Co.
Dépanneur Wines
Overseen by chef and sommelier Zachary Gonzales, Dépanneur Wines has a considered selection of low-intervention wines that span the globe. Check out the newly created ‘éditions’ section, where you’ll find a curated selection of his favorite wines alongside stories about the winemakers.
TRY: Chëpika Catawba Pet Nat, is a dusty rose, aromatic sparkling wine made with indigenous grapes in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
Chepika Catawba Chepika Catawba Pet Nat, $, available at Dépanneur Wines
Pompette
Black-Owned and Harlem-based wine shop Pompette is beloved in the neighborhood and offers a wide selection of wine and spirits. Check their Instagram for their natural offerings, then search for them on the site for the best experience.
TRY: Meinklang Frizzante Pinot Noir Rosé, a beloved fizzy wine by some Austrian natural wine stars.
Meinklang Frizzante Pinot Noir Rosé, $, available at Pompette Wines & Spirits
Rock Juice
Sommelier Melissa Gisler started this natural wine subscription service to offer a tightly curated experience to wine drinkers, but their site also features a strong bottle shop with great tasting notes and anecdotes about the winemakers (most of whom she visits herself before buying).
TRY: Ovum “Big Salt” Orange Rosé, a beginner orange that you might want to introduce the family to.
Ovum “Big Salt” Orange Rosé, $, available at Rock Juice
Thirst Merchants
Thirst Merchants appeals to the real natural wine nerd in all of us, especially with their categories for “High Funk” and “Medium Funk.” A helpful online shop if you’re looking for something on the hazy, wild end of the spectrum.
TRY: Les Temps des Cerises, “Avanti Popolo”, a dusty blitz of cherries and chalk.
Le Temps des Cerises Avanti Popolo, $, available at Thirst Merchants
The Natural Wine Shoppe
DC-based The Natural Wine Shoppe’s brightly photographed bottles remind me of a jewelry store (and we know pet-nat is better than pearls). Their in-depth descriptions and frequent promotions don’t hurt, either.
TRY: Force Celeste Pet Nat, a lightly bubbled salty spritz of a wine.
Pét Nat Force Celeste, $, available at Natural Wine Shoppe
Henry’s
Henry Glucroft slings wine out of a delightfully overstuffed shop in Brooklyn. His website is frequently updated with all sorts of heavy hitters from the natural wine world, plus some natural wine literature.
TRY: Mani de Luna’s Sangiovese, a juicy liter of chillable red.
Mani di Luna Umbria Sangiovese, $, available at Henry’s Wine & Spirits
Dry Farm Wines
For red and white wines, rosés, and more sourced to the highest standards of farming, purity, and taste, consider joining the Dry Farm Wines club. You won’t find anything that isn’t hand-grown on small farms, and there are never any chemical additives for aroma, color, flavor, or texture enhancement.
Dry Farm Wines The Rosé Membership, $, available at Dry Farm Wines
Winc
Throughout its wine-making process, Winc puts tremendous value on its minimal intervention practices which allows for you to get the most out of those rich, raw products going into each and every sip. These self-proclaimed “champions of respectful winemaking” offer options like this Malvasia that’s grown without pesticides, bottled without added sugars, and is vegan-friendly, low sugar, low carb, and low sulfite.
Wonderful Wine Co. Malvasia Bianca, $, available at Winc
Revel Wine
By joining the Revel Wine club, you gain access to scheduled, reliable deliveries catered to your exact taste and needs. In addition to choosing both how many bottles and how often you’d like to have them dropped directly on your doorstep, you can narrow the search down to natural options only. Revel’s award-winning selection includes ten 100% certified organic red (and some white) wines, and four red organic and sulfite-free wines.
Flourish Organic Chardonnay 2018 Flourish Organic Chardonnay, $, available at Revel Wine
Thrive Market
No matter which bottle or bundle you pick from this healthy, high-quality online retailer, you can’t go wrong: Thrive Market’s guarantee is that all of its wines are clean, delicious, sustainably produced, and pesticide-free, with no added sugars. Refinfery29 readers have raved about Thrive Market’s paleo-packed snack offering, so why not try its clean wine bundle, too?
BB De Berticot Blanc Vin Biologique 2018, Half Case of Wine, $, available at Thrive Market
Splash Wines
While not every wine sold by this family-run retailer is natural, you can still find options like this certified vegan Bellissima Sparkling rosé which is made from 100% organic grapes (even the packaging is environmentally friendly!). Splash Wines has long-standing, personal relationships with winemakers worldwide, so you know whatever you order — natural or otherwise — is gonna be good.
Bellissima Bellissima Sparkling Rosé Wine 750mL, $, available at Splash
Usual Wines
Usual Wines makes all of its tasty beverages in small, sustainably farmed batches without any additives (except, of course, for bubbles). The grapes are curated seasonally from the healthiest crops. Plus, it’s served up in a personal bottle that offers a generous pour of 6.3 oz — about a glass and a half, no more, no less. Cheers to that!
USUAL The Rosé Combo, $, available at Usual Wines
Good Clean Wine
This minimal-intervention, organic wine company was founded by two women for a reason we can all relate to: they wanted to drink a tasty, clean wine that makes you feel good on the day you drink it… and the one that follows. The wine is made in small batches with few to no additives.
Good Clean Wine Good Clean Spumante, $, available at Good Clean Wine
Wine.com
When perusing the stock on Wine.com, keep your eye out for bottles with a leaf symbol in the description. Products marked “green” are made using sustainable, organic, or biodynamic practices as certified by various domestic and international organizations. Shop them all here and enjoy $20 off when you spend $100 with the code NEW2020 (valid for first-time shoppers only).
Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2019, $, available at Wine.com
Drizly
Drizly works with local stores so you can shop their shelves via your smartphone or computer for a wide range of alcoholic beverages at the touch of a button. Natural wines are no exception, with sulfite-free, organic brands like Frey Vineyards and Bonterra available for delivery on the site.
Frey Vineyards Natural Red Organic, $, available at Drizly
PureWine
While sampling new, natural options to add to your wine rack, why not remove the histamines and sulfite preservatives in your existing bottles while you’re at it? PureWine’s nifty little device actually purifies and aerates your wine as you pour without adding any extra harsh chemicals to it. The best part? Less headaches, congestion, skin flush, upset stomach, and hangovers.
PureWine The Wave™ Single, $, available at purewine
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