How To Discover Natural Wine

A little bit about what natural wines mean to me:

There is certainly a shift in the wine industry towards natural wines but defining what that means can be tricky, and knowing what to order or buy (especially in Canada where our wine market is heavily regulated) is hard even for wine professionals.

Natural wine is a wine made without the use of herbicides or pesticides; where very minimal additions are applied to the wine (such as sulphites for preserving wine;) and the fermentation occurs naturally. There are many variations on this definition, and part of what makes it hard for the consumer is that there is no official stamp that says this is what it means to be natural.

The best way to discover natural wine is by letting others do the work. Seek out a wine bar or restaurant that has a good proportion of natural wines on their list, and ask the sommelier, server or bartender which one they like to drink. Another great way is to look at the portfolio of companies who are importing natural wines. Importing wine into this country is financially burdensome. They have to jump through a ton of bureaucratic hoops to get these wines here, so there is no questioning their dedication.

Some great places to start:

Ontario: The Living Wine (Wine Agency)

Alberta/BC: Sedimentary Wine; Racine Wine Imports; Juice Wine Imports

There are many more!

International Natural Wine Recommendations

Some of my favourite natural wines available:

Catherine & Pierre Breton, Loire Valley, FR (Favourite: La Dilettante Vouvray)

These are great wines made with integrity. They are super expressive. Bring a bottle of their La Dilettante bubbles (Chenin Blanc) for dinner. Any wine fan, old or new school, will enjoy it.

La Stoppa, Emilia-Romagna, IT (Favourite: Ageno)

Elena Pantaleoni’s vineyard La Stoppa from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region focuses on indigenous varietals like Barbara, Bonarda and Malvasia di Candia. Her wines have been described to me more than once by customers as “magic”. Her red blend, Trebbiolo, is vibrant with a bit of spritz in the first few sips, and fresh cherries. Her orange wine, Ageno, is textural with a golden hue and ripe with flavours of stone fruit and honey. These wines are serious and fun at the same time.

Claus Preisinger, Burgenland, Austria (Favourite: Putza Libre)

Claus has been making wine in Austria’s Burgenland since 2009. The wines are mainly indigenous varietals such as Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. They are juicy and fresh and best served a little chilled. Find them now before the price goes up because they are totally under valued.

While the Europeans & Australians are mostly ahead of us North Americans in the natural wine scene, there are some great local producers leading the way.

Local Natural Wine Recommendations

Quebec: Pinard & Fills

Ontario: Pearl Morissette  

BC: Little Farm; A Sunday in August

(I live in BC. Due to our current wine laws, I don’t have access to other Canadian Provincial wines. Imagine not being able to drink Champagne or Burgundy while in Paris.)

Because natural wine is trending, it means more wines are being branded as natural, so there is a good chance you might get something that isn’t great. Do your research. As with all other types of wine there is the good and the bad.

Francis Bread hosts curated events that include guest chef’s and natural wine. The next event is taking place March 31st with chef Jeff Blumenthal.

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Beach between Kihei National Park and Kalepolepo Regional Park.

Kihei

I went to Kihei first, and stayed in three different neighbourhoods throughout the city. This allowed me to naturally explore each pocket and get to know the smaller details of each one.

Photo by Dorothy Neufeld.

Within the first day, I came across this beach that was quite bare and seemed uninhabited. From what I could tell, there was no name to the beach, although it extended far along the coast. It was located between Kihei National Park and Kalepolepo Regional Park. I came upon it by walking along a pathway off of Halama Street, where the green walkway allowed me to enter this quiet beach. I returned over the next few days, as Halama Street, (parallel to the beach) itself seemed suspended in space somehow, something I also treasured.

Pathway off of Halama Street in Kihei.

The second day of our trip, we discovered Brekkie Bowls food truck. Their specialty is açai bowls. Consisting of a thick blend of açai berries rich in antioxidants, açai bowls are packed with local fruit from mangoes to coconut to strawberries. It was perfect for a local breakfast option.

I love a good cup of coffee like everyone else, and surprisingly I found it difficult to find a cafe in Kihei. It wasn’t until stumbling across Belle Surf Cafe that I knew I had found the place. Located on South Kihei road, Belle Surf is an oasis scattered with bamboo accents, outdoor & indoor seating and excellent coffee. I felt like I was in an enclave, despite being along the main road. (Note: If you also appreciate a good breakfast joint, Kihei Caffe offers a great deal on a tasty menu selection. My favourite dish was the banana macadamia pancakes with coconut syrup).

Kihei Caffe. Photo by James Gibbs.

Be sure to go to the South Shore Tiki Lounge, located just off of the main South Kihei road. They offer the best margaritas bar-none. The relaxed atmosphere, with darker wood accents and a lush outdoor patio is the quintessential destination in Kihei. They also have live music and dancing in the evenings.

Lahaina

I left for Lahaina after a week in Kihei, and the drive to the smaller town hugged the coastline. Views of the ocean were magnificent. On my first day in Lahaina, after exploring the busy streets, I veered off Front Street (the main street) and discovered Ono Tacos food truck. After seeing excellent reviews online, I sought it out. It was one of the best decisions I made in Lahaina. Packed with delicious ingredients and fantastic service, Ono Tacos was a highlight of the trip. They recommended we visit nearby Kohola Brewery where we sampled the local beer.

Later on that same day, I discovered Baby Beach. It was beautiful. If whale-watching is your thing, I also spotted some whales breaching.

View from Fleetwood’s on Front Street.

On the second day in Lahaina, I visited Fleetwood’s on Front Street for dinner. Fleetwood’s, owned by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, offers a stunning rooftop patio with a superior dinner selection (they also serve Kohola Brewing beer!) I recommend making reservations in advance for the patio. It’s a memorable experience.

Kaanapali.

Further north up the coast are smaller towns including Kaanapali and Kapalua. I highly recommend going further north to discover the slower pace of the island. While staying in Napili-Honokowai, right next to my Airbnb, I checked out Dollies Pub & Cafe. If you are fond of local haunts, this is the place for you. They are known for their pizza. I recommend going during happy hour, when it is $1.50 a slice (!) I am so glad that I discovered this place. It was genuine, friendly, tasty and a perfect way to cap off the trip. (Not to mention, I returned several times.)

Dollies Pub & Cafe. Photo by James Gibbs.

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