Natural Wine for the People
Easy breezy bottles, plus a natural wine event rundown for LA folks
Easy breezy bottles, plus a natural wine event rundown for LA folks
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Guest post by Amanda Shechtman
When I first stumbled into the world of natural wine, I was curious, but I had my reservations about wine as a whole: the acid, the intimidation factor, the occasional allergic reaction (damn you, sulfites). I had heard of natural wine, but outside of a few experiments with tangy orange wines that made my face scrunch up, I didn’t really get it. Los Angeles has a booming natural wine market, and soon it became my job to have in-depth knowledge of these wines—confetti sediment and all. I was floored by the volume of information; each wine had its own story and its own careful fermentation process. The more natural wine I tasted, the more knowledgeable my palate became. "It kind of tastes like a salty strawberry," I’d proclaim, to which I’d get an affirming nod from the wine sales representative.
It wasn’t long until I was hooked— I began to understand which grapes I enjoyed the most because, even though there were definitive variations, a grape usually maintained its character. I became partial to aromatic wines, which had more floral notes and felt a little more feminine, even ethereal. I also loved a “jolly rancher” red with a slight chill on it. Like anything that’s created with intentionality and less chemicals, the quality of natural wine was just...better. Here’s the deal: wine should be fun! Wine for the people! Have you ever walked into a wine shop feeling overwhelmed? I know I have, and I’ve helped countless customers who would offer a shrug and say something to the effect of, "I don’t know anything about wine.". Here’s what you need to know: It’s all about the flavor and the feel, baby, and if you’re a resident of Los Angeles, I’ve got some great news for you: there is absolutely no shortage of events in town featuring natural vinos. Why not start your education with some good old-fashioned consumption? Here are some that are ever-happening or happening soon…
Silverlake Wine
Thursday Night Flights are back with the great folks at Silverlake Wine: $20 flights (sample 3 different wines) and $10 glasses of wine from 5-8PM. No reservations are required, and the best part? Triple Beam Pizza posts up with serving slices, half pies, and full pies.(Vegan and gluten-free options are available as well.) Pizza! Wine! Party! Time!
Fiky Fiky Wine
If you’re feeling a bit fancier, Los Angeles' own Fiky Fiky Wine occasionally hosts seated dinners, picnics and popups complete with seasonal produce from local purveyors— follow along on their Instagram for upcoming events.
Esters Wine Shop & Bar
Next up, we’re headed west to Esters Wine Bar in Santa Monica: Esters hosts tastings every Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. with new themes every week, curated by Sommelier Randall Middleton. Flights are $25/person and include a mini cheese pairing as well as a link to an educational video about each glass. Wine class, anyone?
Au Natural Wine
Have you heard about the amazing women at Au Natural Wine? They aim to make natural wine more inclusive and community-centered: they create fairs, parties, and experiences that bring together communities while spreading the ethos of natural wine. Keep an eye out for their Summer Festival, which features food, jewelry, and clothes from local vendors in addition to wine and good vibes.
Melanie Wine Bar
If you’re looking for a killer deal, make your way over to Melanie Wine Bar on W. 3rd. From 4-5 PM nightly, you can sling back their wines by the glass at half price, and Mondays are most definitely your friend at Melanie with half off all bottles.
And now, without further ado, here are some crowd-pleasing bottles for your foray into the world of natural wine. I’ve included wines with some texture, but nothing super funky: approachable is what we’re aiming for here. Let’s start with offerings in the white wine category, the easy-going gal of the bunch. She’s with you for your days at the beach; she’s your pre-dinner sipper and your go-to pairing with citrusy fish and bright salads.
Big Salt
Big Salt hails from Ovum Wines, which is located in Newburg, Oregon, just outside of Portland. It’s made up of 50% Riesling, 30% Gewurztraminer, 14% Early Muscat, 3% Sauvignon Blanc, and 3% others. The winery describes it as "a day at the beach in a bottle," and that is aptly put. This is a dry, almost salty wine, with a lean minerality from the Riesling and a bit of texture from the Gewurztraminer. It’s fresh, fun, and, most importantly, easy! I get notes of lemon and melon with nice acidity.
Es Okay
Let’s make our way over to Rootdown Cellars in Mendocino County. Es Okay! Except it’s more than okay, it’s delicious. Another blend: 52% Chardonnay, 27% Chenin Blanc, 17% Pinot Gris, 4% Riesling Piquette, and 1% orange Muscat make up this bad boy... It’s a bit fuller than Big Salt, but notes of stone fruit (peach, pear, and apricot, to name a few) keep her pretty and soft, aromatic and juicy. This is a wine I’d refer to as "crushable." Honorable mention: Es Okay’s Red counterpart: a grapey, chewy, cherry jam crusher with soft tannins. See? Wine should be fun— I’m making up words over here!
Orange Wine
Let’s add a bit of *spice* aka skin contact! That’s right, we’re talking about your amber beauties: orange wines. A little bit of education: an orange wine has nothing to do with orange fruit (aside from flavor notes). Simply put, orange wine is skin-fermented or skin-contact white wine. Unlike white wine, the skins are not removed and remain in contact with the juice for a number of days or even months.
Orange Gewürz
This bottle right here is the first orange wine that made me say, "orange wine is for me." Union Sacré is an Alsatian-inspired winery out of Paso Robles, CA, from BFFs Philip Muzzy and Xavier Arnaudin. Be sure to check out their killer lineup, starting with this skin-contact dreamsicle. She’s 100% Gewurztraminer with a wonderfully reasonable price tag (and a twist-off cap.) This is my go-to for spring and summer outings: it gives me salty grapefruit vibes with a stone fruit finish. It’s bright and gluggable, with a fleshy nectarine finish that makes you go "oooh."
Weird Parties
Ready to dabble in texture? Say When is a small but mighty winery out of Lompoc, California, created and run by husband-and-wife duo Rachel and Michel DeAscentiis. Are you ready for a weird party? There is nothing weird about this wine except for how mystifyingly wonderful it is. Here’s something fun: Weird Parties is *carbonically macerated*. Carbonic maceration is a winemaking process in which whole grapes are fermented in a carbon dioxide-rich environment before crushing; this results in a juicier, brighter wine. Carbonic maceration is usually reserved for red grapes, but Say When does it with 100% Grenache Blanc in this cuvée. She’s got some texture on her, but nothing crazy. Weird Parties is pretty, aromatic, and fruity, with notes of mango, apricot, and lemongrass.
By the way, I am partial to a more fruit-forward wine, so please excuse my bias. If you’re looking for a crisper orange, check out Gulp/Hablo out of Castilla La Mancha, Spain, or Misia from Sassara in Veneto, Italy.
Ready for some red? Let’s get into these ruby cuties.
Slipper Sippers
I’d be surprised if you weren’t already familiar with Las Jaras: ever heard of Glou Glou? She’s extremely popular—a chillable field blend for every occasion—but I want to talk about this unbelievably fresh Nouveau from the celebrity-fronted winery. That’s right, Las Jaras comes from actor and comedian Eric Wareheim and winemaker Joel Burt. It professes itself as "The First Good Celebrity Wine." I can’t say I disagree. Slipper Sippers is 74% Valdiguié, 18% Petite Sirah, and 8% Zinfandel made in the Carbonic Nouveau style. It’s light and easy but packed with dark fruits like pomegranate, plum, and boysenberry. A bit of zippy acid keeps this juice bomb fresh. It’s also a wine with a cause, donating a portion of its profits to La Luz Family Resource Center.
Hurluberlu
Alright, folks, we’re finally making our way overseas. Domaine Sebastien David makes its beautiful wines in the ever-productive region of the Loire Valley, France. Sebastien comes from a long line of winemakers and maintains ancient techniques that have been passed down for generations. His wines are unfined and unfiltered, and this one in particular has zero sulfites added and zero taken away. 100% Cabernet Franc, this wine carries the classic green bell pepper notes of that grape with a charming subtlety—mostly you get red fruits like raspberry and cherry, but the fruity/savory combo is what makes this wine so special. It’s happy and fresh, with a bit of sophistication.
I’m suddenly feeling celebratory— here are a couple of bubblies that really pop:
Loire Gold
Let’s stay in the Loire, shall we? Liv Vincendeau brings us this sparkler "from Rochefort with love." This wine is so pure, elegant, and clean. Technically a Cremant, it is 100% Chenin Blanc. It boasts those beautiful pear notes you’d hope to find in a bottle of white bubbly, along with crisp quince and lemony herbs. It has a slightly bready quality and an almond-like finish. A fancy feeling with a sensible price tag, it’s sure to bring a little sparkle to your evening or your day… This is an ideal brunch companion!
Denny Bini Lambrusco
If you’ve never had a Lambrusco, this would be a delightful place to start. Lambrusco is an Italian sparkling red wine. Yup, that’s right, you can have the best of both worlds, and boy is it fun. A classic Emilia-Romagna Lambrusco from winemaker Denny Bini, this is a party wine. Not too dry and not too sweet, it’s perfectly balanced and oh-so-drinkable. It’s darker in color and flavor than you’d expect from a Lambrusco, with beautiful brambly berry notes and dusty tannins. It’s got the acid but doesn’t hit you in the throat—there’s a delicateness to it. This is the perfect pizza wine.
And finally, let’s welcome in summer with the blush-colored dazzler of the group: rosé!
Una Lou
A can! I can sense your hesitation, but don’t let the aluminum fool you; this is a special wine. Plus, she’s perfect for your beach days and park hangs, or anywhere you want something easy to open and guzzle down (be careful though, it’s a half-bottle even though it may not look like it. ). Una Lou comes to us from the renowned Sonoma winery Scribe. Brace yourself for adorableness; this wine is named after winemakers Lia Ices and Andrew Mariani’s first daughter. It is a rosé made from 100% pinot noir and yields those tantalizing strawberry and citrus notes you’re yearning for. It has a dry and crisp finish, perfect for those summer days and nights. Another charitable wine, a portion of its proceeds go to the Edible Schoolyard and the Center for Land-Based Learning.
Zini
Last but not least comes the elusive liter from Andreas Ziniel out of Burgenland, aka the easternmost and least populous state of Austria. I’ve classified her as a rosé, but this is a wine that is utterly ineffable. It’s a co-ferment of red and white grapes: Welschriesling, Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zweigelt, to be exact. Is it an orange? A chillable red? A rosé? Yes. This wine is packed full of black fruits and peaches, is totally mouthwatering and perfect for any occasion. Plus, it’s a full liter. The more wine, the merrier. Totally natural and totally glou glou, I must admit, I’m obsessed. FYI, this baby is on the menu at Atrium in Los Feliz. It’s a rare one, so get her while you can.
Ercole Rosato
And an honorable mention for another liter of rosé: the absolutely crushable Ercole Rosato from The Piedmont Guy.
And thus completes the lineup. You did great! I hope you feel ready to dip your tongue into the wonderful world of natty wine with this as your guide— cheers!
Amanda Shechtman is an LA based wine nerd with a background in natural wine retail. She is a multi hyphenate creative who enjoys writing about culture, nostalgia, art, and duh–natty wine.