PURA SEDE is Portugal’s first dedicated natural wine fair, and it’s now in its third year. Led by a star-studded list of wine growers, a vibrant community of buyers, restaurateurs, and wine enthusiasts will make their way to Lisbon for the event.

Founded by Clara Higham-Stoianova (Sips Berlin) and Florian Tonello (Ladidadi Wines Lisbon) in 2020, PURA SEDE has quickly gained a reputation for showcasing Europe’s most revered cult natural wine producers and some of the rising talents in the scene.

For its third edition, iconic producers such as Patrick Bouju, Gabrio Bini, Partida Creus, Raphael Monnier Ratapoil, Cantina Furlani, and La Perdida will gather at Pura Sede’s new location in the heart of Lisbon, Carpintarias de São Lázaro. Overlooking the sea, the winemakers will pour their wines and exchange their philosophies with international guests, professionals, and fellow winemakers.

In English, PURA SEDE means ‘pure thirst’, and to founders Clara and Florian, it represents a thirst for purity. To the organizers, natural wine is simply wine with a minimal intervention approach and a deep respect for nature and fermentation. The fair combines the tasting of incredible wines with a number of satellite events from local restaurants, and put simply, a great party!

As more restaurants, bars, and distributors cater to the natural wine community in Lisbon, Pura Sede is able to bring new wines and fresh faces to this dynamic discussion. In 2023, the event will unite pioneering natural wine producers with a European collective in Portugal’s stunning capital.

PURA SEDE takes place the 25th and 26th of March in Lisbon, Portugal. Tickets are limited, and each previous year has been a sold-out, so it is advised to book ahead of time.

See you there!

Have you tried Méli-Mélo? As most natural wine drinkers, you are probably already interested in the mythical wines that come from Jura, France. The special mix of soil, grape varieties and talented winemakers have made this region one of the most sought after across the world.

AMÉLIE VUILLET et SÉBASTIEN JACQUES wines are some of the rarer bottles you can get from Jura, but if you do get a chance to get your hands on a bottle, you won’t be disappointed.

Méli-Mélo put simply, is a juice bomb. As the name suggests it’s a mix, or better yet, a masterful blend of Gamay, Trousseau, Ploussard, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Savagnin. This combination of red and white grapes results in a ruby red colour that smells like fresh raspberries and red currents.

As it hits your palette, Méli-Mélo unleashes a complex yet approachable mix of grapefruit, cranberries, tangerine, rhubarb and the aforementioned raspberries. Hints of forest floor and barnyard are present but not overpowering. Your teeth tingle from the tart sourness, but the acidity is pleasant, and long lasting.

The couple work their 1.5 hectares of vines by animal traction, they leave their grapes in vats with no intervention or additions, they have no pump for vinification, no thermoregulated tanks, and only a manuel press. Their goal is the use the smallest amount of electrical or mechanical energy possible in their winemaking process. There is no wonder that Vanessa Masse, the first female to be awarded ‘Best Sommelier’ by the Michelin Guide in 2021 was recently pictured holding one of their bottles in an article in French newspaper Le Monde. If that isn’t a good endorsement, we don’t know what is.

Due to frost, snow, rain and two hail storms, this vintage only exists in very small quantities. But it is well worth seeking out and sharing with a friend!

You can also taste their wines this weekend at Le Nez dans le Vert wine fair in Arbois.

Country: France Region: Jura

Grapes: Gamay, Trousseau, Ploussard, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Savagnin

Vintage: 2021

Music pairing: BIG – Juicy

ViniPendenti wants to be a place to rediscover values, agricultural practices and joviality that seemed to have disappeared, but it also looks to the future, to new concepts of sustainability, awareness and attention. And this is precisely why Pisa was chosen: a city that has always been avant-garde, ‘rebellious’, open to the world and never closed by territorial or ideological boundaries.

Tastings, round tables and master classes with winemakers will be followed by concerts, DJ sets, informal debates and moments of pure relaxation!

The organisers’ aim is to bring as many people as possible closer to conscious drinking: “We are firmly convinced that natural wines should not be an elitist prerogative, but a daily choice for many. This is why we have decided to call ViniPendenti a festival and not a fair, trying to bring out not only the ‘technical’ elements of natural wine, but also the convivial aspect, the purest aspect of being together” say Matteo Niccolai, Leonello Trivelli and Claudio Benedetti.

The idea stems from the desire to create an enjoyable and fun moment around natural wine.

ViniPendenti – the first natural wine festival in Pisa – will take place on the 18th – 20th of March at the Stazione Leopolda, with tastings each day from 10:30am to 6:30pm, and almost 70 winemakers from all over Italy.

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!