December 18, 2025 - 1 comments
Raisin Team Picks: Our Favorite Bottles of the Year
Every year, the Raisin team tastes hundreds of natural wines, at fairs, in vineyards, in bars, at home, and sometimes in places we stumble upon by chance. But among all these bottles, there’s always one that stays with us. A wine that captures a moment, a winemaker’s touch, a landscape, or simply a feeling we wanted to carry a little longer.
So we asked each member of the team to choose their favorite bottle of the year: the one they’d recommend without hesitation, the one they keep thinking about, the one they’d open again right now if they could.
From smoky Cabernet Franc to saline Savagnin, vibrant Rkatsiteli to surprising Spanish Chenin, here are the bottles that made our year, and just might make yours.
Andrew Krell
Job Title: US Representative
Wine Recommendation: Okro's Wines – Zvari Rkatsiteli 2022, Kakheti, Georgia
Zvari 2022, Rkatsiteli, from Okro’s Wines. A magical pairing with Chakapuli (Georgian Lamb and Veal stew with sour plums and a lot of herbs) at Cellar 36 NYC. One of the tastiest Rkatsiteli’s which I have had in a long time! Bright and fresh, aromatic and approachable, dancing acidity, gorgeous fruit and integrated tannins. Smooth and rich, sunshine and energy in a bottle! The vineyard is located at 1,000 meters. Not a qvevri wine, macerated and aged in stainless steel. Imported by Jenny & Francois.
Boris Quennehen
Job Title: Volunteer
Wine Recommendation: Michel Autran – Les enfers tranquilles, Loire, France
A great Chenin from Vouvray that will perfectly complement your celebratory dinner. The nose is very charming and complex. On the palate, it is smooth, with a beautiful acidity that makes it perfectly balanced.
Elena Amprimo
Job Title: Head of Italy
Wine Recommendation: Cascina Tavijn – Nando, Piedmont, Italy
Nadia Verrua’s Nando is a fresh, easygoing white that highlights a lesser-known side of Piedmont. A blend of Cortese and the nearly forgotten Bussanello and Baratuciat grapes. In the glass, it shows a pale golden hue with herbal notes and a hint of ginger, while on the palate it’s inviting, finishing with a gentle touch of tannin. I discovered it in the Susa Valley at Trattoria La Baritlera, a perfect mix of honest local cooking and a wine that makes you want to stay at the table a little longer.
Enrico Pescatore
Job Title: Customer Success & Sales
Wine Recommendation: Robb de Matt – Big Bang, Campania, Italy
This pet-nat, made from a maceration of Falanghina, Trebbiano, and Moscato, is a pure grape juice. As the name suggests, it is an explosion of pure joy, characterized by a lasting bubble that immediately ignites the atmosphere. Perfect for every situation, from a relaxed sip on the beach to a resounding toast during celebrations: this bottle brings everyone together and instantly summons a sense of festivity. Available at Indovino in Naples.
Jean-Hugues Bretin
Job Title: Founder
Wine Recommendation: Paraiso Natural – Vinho Verde, Portugal
This is the go-to bottle if you want to impress your guests! Where is this coming from? What grape variety is it? Which country? Little to no chance anybody will find out: promise! Talent has no borders, and this wine is your direct swim line to the Gulf Stream down to Portugal. This ocean breeze wine is made from Loureiro, but it could easily be mistaken for a Savagnin, a Chenin, or even a Chardonnay. High five to Leli and Miguel from Saravá – Galactic Wine for this very honed, crafted wine.
Julia Flynn
Job Title: Wine & Product Intern
Wine Recommendation: Domaine De L’Ubac – Le hasard et la chance, Rhone, France
This bottle from Nicolas Sinoir is my official holiday favorite. Mountain-grown Clairette blanche: bright, citrusy, herbal and ridiculously easy to drink. Perfect for chaotic tables, from apéro to raclette, and a great wine to toast to friends, luck & last-minute plans this holiday season!
Laura Doggen
Job Title: Head of Product
Wine Recommendation: Joan Ramón Escoda – Els Bassots 2023, Catalonia, Spain
Even as a red drinker and pét-nat lover, the wine that surprised me most this year was a white: Els Bassots 2023 by Joan Ramón Escoda. This rare Spanish Chenin Blanc stood out among big names for its vibrant energy, remarkable depth, long finish, and generous body. I picked up my bottle at one of my favourite stores in Amsterdam, Vleck Wijnen, where it came warmly recommended.
Nathalie Alves
Job Title: Partner
Wine Recommendation: Domaine La Vigne Mouton – Le Mouton Rote & Chill, Burgundy, France
Un très joli pétillant bourguignon, à la bulle fine, à base de Chardonnay et Aligoté, préparé avec amour et talent par Margaux Calland et Valentin Richoux. Parfait pour les fêtes et pour briser la glace ! Disponible chez Ô Divin Épicerie.
Adam Simmons
Job Title: Content Creator
Wine Recommendation: Domaine de la Tournelle – Fleur de Savagnin, Jura, France
I hold this bottle, its winemaker Évelyne Clairet, and the town of Arbois very close to my heart. Savagnin is my favourite grape, and this cuvée expresses it perfectly. It tastes of zesty citrus and dried pear, with a mineral, stony edge and subtle floral and smoky notes, finishing with the signature saline intensity of Jura. Last one I found was at Les Canon in Montpellier, but if you can drink it on a summer afternoon on the terrace of Bistrot la Tournelle in Arbois, it doesn’t get better!
Anaïs Jardin
Job Title: Community Manager
Wine Recommendation: Jonathan Maunoury – Sarrandières 2023, Loire, France
This Cabernet Franc from Jonathan Maunoury is one of those bottles that never fails to make me happy. Smoky nose with red pepper, blueberry, and a touch of licorice. On the palate, it’s fleshy and rounded, with great energy and a silky texture. Jonathan farms biodynamically on the hillsides of Puy-Notre-Dame, with no added sulfites. It’s an honest, generous wine with real character yet still easy to enjoy. If you’re in Paris, stop by Les Résistants, they’ve got it, and it’s well worth the trip.
Viktoriia Gauthier
Job Title: Quality Assurance
Wine Recommendation: Luc Bauer – Altiesse en Paradis, Ain, France
A dry, delicate, and mineral white wine. What I liked about this wine is its freshness, as well as the complex flavor that changes and evolves as you make your way through the bottle. It offers a rare mineral complexity: refined, intense, deep, and well-balanced. A perfect bottle to share as an apéro with friends or to enjoy over dinner. I discovered it in Lyon, at Grive.
