Ixelles is a neighbourhood located on the south east of Brussels and if you are a foodie, this is the neighbourhood for you! Every street you turn down brings you to another amazing restaurant where natural wine bottles can be seen proudly on display in bar windows, restaurants, and even small corner shops.

One of the pioneers of natural wine in this neighbourhood is Tarzan, which was opened by Coralie Rutten in November 2016. A stylish wine bar and restaurant that feels warm and welcoming from the moment you step inside. The majority of the space is taken up by a long sleek bar, where you can sit and chat while food is prepared in front of you, or you can choose to relax in the back at the low lit, more intimate tables.

The food is made to be shared, with a selection of tapas and small plates that are created by chef Quarles and change with the season. Make sure you try their hummus which is their speciality and is regularly updated and remixed. Right now it’s blended with parsnips, that are still in harvest in Belgium, and is simply delicious!

The team has grown and changed since 2016 and is now managed by Typhaine, with Christophe and Isis taking care of the wine list according to the catalog chosen by their partner and wine importer Julien of Vin Naturel. No great place could run without their dedicated staff though, Alice, Anna, Max, Maurine, Calypso, and Sarah are on hand to give you wine list tips and ensure great vibes.

You’ll find their wine shop Chez Jane next door as well, which allows you to take wine from their list away with you. Tarzan’s wine selection reflects their expertise and years of experience, offering a long list of bottles as well as choices by the glass. Grab a crisp Austrian white, an aromatic Alsatian orange or treat yourself to a Savagnin from Jura. Better yet, go for all three!

Find Tarzan on Raisin now, it’s really worth a visit!

This year’s Natural Wine Fest in Brno, Czech Republic, is taking place on April 1st from 12 pm to 7 pm at TRŽNICE BRNO.

This is the largest Moravian natural wine festival, bringing together over 60 forward-thinking European winemakers for an unforgettable tasting. The fair celebrates low-intervention wines and highlights the diversity of Central and Eastern Europe. Over 30 of the winemakers present are from the Czech Republic, and one of the fair’s goals is to help spread awareness of their local progressive wine production, which is currently gaining international attention.

Brno city is a Moravian metropolis with a booming gastronomic scene. It’s worth taking a moment while you’re at the fair to discover this city and some of the amazing cuisine it has to offer. Be sure to also stop by Natural Wine Shop, which is run by the same team that is bringing you this special wine fair. You won’t be disappointed by their selection.

Na zdraví 🍷

This year, an average of 250 new daily users joined Raisin on the search for the best places to enjoy natural wine and delicious food!

We’re so proud to be a part of the natural wine movement, and so happy to see it growing and growing, with no sign of slowing down! Soon will be our biggest launch yet; our new website. However, none of it would have been achievable without the support and trust of our amazing users and establishments owners subscribing to our plans. Allowing us to keep pinpointing bars, restaurants and wine shops all around the world.

When Raisin first launched in 2016, we never would have dreamed that people all over the planet would be using our application. We even have users that don’t drink wine, that use Raisin to find the best restaurants, because they know natural wine is always an indicator of a great place to eat.

Today we reference 6383 establishments in 56 countries. In each establishment you can find a wine selection that is at least 30% natural and most of the time much higher. The best thing, the number of establishments is still growing every day!

There is still plenty of work to do, but we just wanted to take a moment to raise a glass and give thanks to all of you, to our team, and volunteers who have made it all possible ❤️ Cheers!

A weekend in Rome!

The fourth edition of VINI SELVAGGI: THE INDEPENDENT NATURAL WINE FAIR is back! This independent fair, dedicated to producers of natural, artisanal and low-intervention wines, will take place on Sunday 12th and Monday 13th of March, 2023 at Spazio Novecento, in the heart of the Eur district in Rome from 12:00 to 22:00.

The event, which is aimed at both professionals and amateurs, will host 100 artisanal producers of spontaneously fermented wines, ciders and beers. The winemakers presenting come from Italy, France, Spain, Slovenia, Germany and Poland.

On the terrace of the Spazio Novecento, you will also be able to taste the specialties of the partner farms and restaurants, including: Trapizzino, Azienda Agricola Janas, Ritmo, Capriss. At the helm of this fair is Lorenzo Macinanti and Giulia Arimattei, owners of Solovino Enoteca Naturale and Soif distribution, and Francesco Testa, a Spanish wine expert and winemaker in Galicia.

Their objective is simple: “To spread the culture of natural wine and encourage contacts between producers, retailers and consumers who choose an ethical and responsible approach to agriculture”. The program? It actually starts on Friday, with Ritmi Selvaggi, an evening that mixes music and bubbles at the Rashomon Club, from 8 pm to midnight. On Saturday, you can enjoy multiple “unofficial events” in the city’s wine bars and restaurants, before moving on to the fair itself.

The Raisin team will also be there, so please come by our stall and say hello. We always love meeting, talking, exchanging, and sharing a glass with you!

Have you tried Roditis Barrique? Have you tried Greek natural wine? If you haven’t Ktima Ligas is a great place to begin and the Roditis Barrique will really convince you that you’ve been missing something.

It’s colour is a golden light yellow, that reminds you of a sunrise. On the nose you are hit with fresh mangos, vanilla, herbs, and a light scent of honey. It is already an exciting wine, even before tasting. But once it hits your palate you are rewarded with flavours of agrumes, pomegranate, blood orange, straw and yellow flowers that mix with a creamy mouth feel. It’s very well balanced, with long but not over powering acidity. It’s like a lemonade on a hot day, that keeps you wanting more.

Made with 28 year old Roditis vines, the grapes are destemmed, and then given skin contact for 7 days. The fermentation begins in inox, the juice is run off using gravity and placed in 400 litre Stockinger barrels, which have been lightly toasted. The wine stays on the lees for 6 months then is transferred again into inox for one to two months. If you’re interested in the technical aspects of wine, you’ll be able to feel the well rounded expression of the wine that is bought out by the barrels. If you aren’t interested, all we’ll say is that Ktima Ligas know what they are doing!

Ktima Ligas was started in the late 80’s by Thomas LIGAS after returning from studying in France. He always believed in the potential of the local greek varietals and the natural approach into winemaking and winegrowing. It’s a family business, and these days Meli Ligas is working with her father Thomas running the winery with the help of Giannis, Petros, Alex and Valandis. They currently have 9 hectares but are expanding to 15 with new vines that they are planting.

Meli explains that they have a fantastic climate and great resources in their lands that don’t need any extra treatments or intensive labor, so they can concentrate on quality and purity rather than mass production winemaking.

The Roditis Barrique is a wine that sings. If you only get the chance to try one Greek wine in your life, make sure it’s this one. Although, why stop at one? We’re sure you’ll be convinced that it’s time to start a journey of discovery into Greek wines!

Country: Greece
Region: Pella
Grapes: Roditis
Vintage: 2020
Music pairing: DMX – Up in Here

“Brutale – La Natura è Progresso” is returning for its second edition on Sunday, March 5th from 10:30 am to 8 pm in Cesena. This fair and market is dedicated to natural wines, and attendees can taste and purchase bottles from around 85 winemakers based all over Italy, as well as some from Slovenia.

The event will be hosted by the Verdi Theatre and will feature tastings, food, and workshops. Fabio Venturi and Giuseppe Gargano organize the event with the aim of creating a meeting place for wine enthusiasts and professionals. In addition to the winegrowers, distributors of natural wines, an amphora producer, and an olive oil producer will also be present. Attendees can also sample the culinary delights of four restaurants from different Italian regions.

Throughout the day, workshops on artisanal wine and food will be held in some of the city’s venues as well. These events will have limited availability, so we recommend booking in advance.

The Raisin team will also be present, so please come by our stall and say hello. We always love meeting, talking, exchanging, and sharing a glass with you!