Our Team

Jean-Hugues Bretin

He didn’t drink wine. In 2010, a friend came to dinner with a bottle of P’tit Blanc du Tue-boeuf by Thierry Puzelat: a revelation! Since then, he reads, lives, drinks, and thinks natural wine. On the internet since 1999, Jean-Hugues created sites as an HTML developer before becoming a search engine optimizer. Raisin is as much a professional project as an effort to defend a certain worldview. Bring on the change!

Nathalie Alves

She was responsible for the launch of On Boit Quoi Ce Soir ? She was also present for the creation of Raisin. No one really knows what we would have done, nor even if these projects could have existed, without her. Consultant, advisor, and editor, her hats and skills are many; and that’s exactly what a young app needs.

Claire Malnis

Claire was born in Lille, raised among the butter and cider culture in Normandy, studied Anthropology in Bordeaux, and moved to Paris where she finally discovered natural wine. Just by luck, she stumbled upon a natural wine shop, had her first bottle, plus a few more, and everything suddenly changed for Claire.
While she was used to drinking oaky, yeasty, full of sulfur, makeup, and wines without soul, this encounter opened her palate up to new, fresh, drinkable, and lively flavors that she could not ignore.
From then on, Claire was inspired to meet the people behind these wines, and experience for herself the vineyards, soil, plants, and ecosystem that make them so special. Learning, sharing, and thanking come naturally to Claire. And as a lover of nature herself, she takes a coherent and benevolent approach to work in all of her wine endeavors. So it is with humble desire that she joins the Raisin ranks, keeping that spirit of sharing her good taste in wine!

Adam Simmons

Born in England, raised in Germany, living between France and Belgium. Adam is a music producer, DJ and founding member of the hip hop group ASM (Chinese Man Records). As a group they launched Natty Rhyme (1 minute rapped natural wine reviews), Origin & Juice (a series based around music and natural wine). Adam fell in love with natural wine in Lisbon after trying a bottle from Partida Creus, he also loves sourdough pizza and vinyl. In fact he often cooks pizza, presents natural wines and DJ's at the same time at his Pet Nat & Pizza parties!

Elena Amprimo

Elena was born in Piedmont, the region of Barolo and Barbaresco, but the first wine she tasted was wine from the home cellar: fermented grape juice and that's it! Thanks to her friends at Trattoria La Baritlera in Chianocco (Turin), she discovered in the late 2000s that all over the world, many winemakers had abandoned the interventionist approach to produce wine in the most environmentally and consumer-friendly way… and from there, it didn't take much convincing! She quit the company where she had been working for years and started traveling from French vineyard to Italian vineyard without stopping - from the Binner's to Milan's domains in France, from Le Quattro Volte to La Stoppa in Italy, and many more in between. It is crazy what passion makes you do!

Now she is back in Piedmont, works for Raisin, keeps helping some winemaker friends, and enjoys making a few demijohns of wine with her dad.

Christophe Fustinoni

Born between Mondeuse and Syrah, it's finally in a cellar in Provence that it all started, before a “supernatural" encounter with bottles of Podere Pradarolo in 2010 that totally changed his approach. Since then, between France and Italy, he searches for new bottles and living produce, epicurean addresses and good times with anyone willing to share a glass of natural wine.

Benjamin Dupas

For Benjamin, natural wine is wine… but when there are additives, it's no longer wine. Both can be good, but in order for it to be authentic and true wine with terroir, it has to be natural! “We live in a society where people buy Chardonnay, and think it's only Chardonnay inside the bottle. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are often over a hundred additives in that bottle of Chardonnay alone. I want transparency for consumers, for them to only drink true Chardonnay when they ask for a Chardonnay." Benjamin started his career as a sommelier in a Parisian palace, and now manages the wine cellar of The Royal Savoy Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland – which has one of the most important natural wine selections in the country. He also happens to own a parcel in Valais, where he enjoys making wine with a friend. Benjamin's passions also include geology, history, and the environment.

Boris Quennehen

As an atmospheric scientist, Boris had his head in the clouds and used to drink wine without caring much about it, until a diner in a restaurant where he found a 100% natural wine menu and a very persuasive team: the virus has been inoculated. A documentary about Alexandre Bain ends by convincing him that a good wine is natural… and that the label is not that important! Since then, he explores wine regions by foot, by bike, or more often with his glass but never without his favorite compass, Raisin.

Andrew Krell

In 2007, Andrew took his first sip of natural wine in Paris: a Christian Ducroux Régnié. Fast forward to six years ago, we received our very first message from Andrew, reaching out to meet up during another one of his visits to Paris. So we did, and there was no turning back. We discussed natural wine (of course), and a thousand other topics. This meeting over a couple glasses of wine, was the first of many. From Paris to New York where Andrew lives, it's been an ongoing exchange of enthusiasm for these wines that we love to share. Thanks to Andrew's passion, we are constantly discovering new winemakers and places all over the world.

Makiko Shibata

This natural wine adventure took off at a PNG tasting, with a wine by Thierry Puzelat. For Makiko, it was the story behind the taste that was so inspiring, with a philosophy that lives by respect for the environment and passion for natural wine. Makiko was born in Japan, and only planned to stay in France for a 6 month trip. 26 years later, this passionate sommelier has doubled and flourished as a Shiatsu specialist. Makiko is also responsibile for doing the app's translations in her native language!

Arnaud Lefort

Arnaud was born and grew up in the Muscadet region, around melon de Bourgogne and gros plan. It was natural for him to discover wine, thanks to his family and friends. It was in 2019 that he discovered natural wines and Raisin, by chance during an internship at "Granit" in Clisson. He fell directly in love with these wines and continued his adventure for another year in the wine shop. He then decided to specialize in the wine market and moved to Champagne, where he discovered natural bubbles. His desire to promote natural wines led him to join Raisin as an intern, and since that time he has continued to discover new winemakers, new countries, new grape varieties...

Laura Doggen

I’m Laura, a Dutchy from Amsterdam who's figuring out Parisian life. It's a dream coming true to combine my passion for tech & wine in a professional career. My background is a mix of tech, digital marketing, and innovation management. For the last 3 years, I tried to professionalize my enthusiasm for wine with SDEN 2 and 3 courses, which resulted in many wine trips to winemakers and their vineyards, mainly in France and Italy. I also enjoyed being part of a city vineyard in Amsterdam, learning about the process of growing the grapes and drinking the wine. 

Viktoriia Gauthier

Viktoriia is a Siberian who fell in love with natural wine as soon as she moved to France. This year, she is finishing her Master’s degree in Communications at Sorbonne University and learning a lot about tech while helping Laura with product management at Raisin.
She especially enjoys natural wines that have a clear red color and is always excited to discover new bottles with the Raisin team. Whether enjoying an apéro after work or traveling to wine fairs, there’s always something new to taste!

Erland Swaving

A Dutch native currently studying wine and spirits management in Bordeaux, Erland Swaving’s journey into the world of wine is as unique as his background in Urban Planning. His passion for wine was ignited during the Covid pandemic, leading him to embark on numerous wine trips to renowned regions such as Mosel, Burgundy, Alsace, Bordeaux, and Champagne. However, it was his visit to Jura that marked a turning point. Staying with Ludwig and Nathalie of Lulu Vigneron, Erland was struck by their hospitality and even more so by their exceptional natural wines. Through them, he explored several other befriended natural wine estates, each recommendation proving to be extraordinary. Now, with a deep appreciation for natural wines and a fervent desire to share this passion, Erland continues to delve into the vibrant world of natural wines by aiding the sales and wine team of Raisin.

Calliope Georgousi

Two experiences and a lifestyle brought me to volunteer for Raisin. Ikaria and Znojmo.
I am Greek, and wine has been an integral part of Hellenic culture for centuries. I briefly lived on the island of Ikaria, which is known for its ancient ties to Dionysus, the god of wine, ecstatic dance, local cuisine, and summer festivities following the harvest season. The island's inhabitants are known for living well into their 100s. One ancient fermentation technique that still fascinates me involves using a stroke to extract wine from clay amphorae buried in the soil.
Years later, during an epic cycling trip from England to Greece, I stumbled upon orange natural wine made using a similar amphorae technique in the UNESCO heritage town of Znojmo, Czech Republic. As someone who is passionate about organic food, I was immediately hooked.
Today, volunteering for Raisin's small team with User Experience Research and Design is an opportunity for me to empower the wider wine community, promote a healthy drinking lifestyle, and enrich your venue-finding experience with natural wine and its food culture.