RAWfair

I attended Isabelle Legerons' RAWfair in London a few days ago with Philippe. It was overwhelming. I have been researching 'natural' wines in California since Philippe introduced me to this way of wine making months ago and it's been eye-opening.  Eye-opening because most domestic wine producers are either not willing to share their wine making practices or what's actually in the bottle or just not willing to talk about the subject. It isn't surprising given it can be a very touchy subject. If there are wine makers in the U.S. practicing natural wine making techniques they aren't proclaiming it on their labels or in stores either for fear possibly of being 'categorized' and therefore, diminish their marketing appeal or just misunderstood.

At the RAWfair there were two domestic wine producers and they both were from neighboring appellations in Oregon with very similar varietals. But, on this day, the sun was shining in London and the hall filled with a world full of natural wine makers. Natural wine reflects what's happening to the earth in that part of the world and natural wine producers express this history by being shephards of the land, fruit and time. The result is a unique wine still living. The fruit a bearer of what the land provided. The wine a true expression of what mother nature has brought to the yield that year. Tasting through the RAWfair is a journey from one country to another, a glass is all you need to visit.