Meet our heroes, the real soul of Wyrd Wine.
AGRICOLA PAGLIONE
Every bottle is a tale of the land.
Agricola Paglione is located in the heart of Puglia, in Lucera, in the splendid panorama of the Monti Dauni and the Tavoliere delle Puglie. Three generations of the Faccilongo family are involved in the company: grandfather Nicola, who, despite his age, still takes care of the vineyards every day, his son Beniamino, who believed in the expansion of the project, and the grandson Nicola, who’s keeping high the traditional values of the family and the territory.
The vine parcels are rooted in a terroir of calcareous origin with the presence of gravel and stones. The vines arise in a unique ecosystem, enriched by the presence of olive trees, fruit trees, wheat and tomatoes, that the family also transforms into beautiful products with dedication and care.
BOURRE PIF
Zero Compromises.
Delphine is completely new to the world of winemaking, but beyond skillful. She is a "Négociant": she doesn't own her own vineyards but instead buys (and harvests) her grapes from growers who operate according to ecological and biodynamic principles and share common values in respect for the vineyards and the earth.
From grape harvesting to bottling, everything is done by hand. No additives, no filtration, no clarification. Zero compromises.
Delphine is quite a free spirit, both in the winery and in her personal life. As a mechanic, specialized in motorcycles, she loves to hop on her bike and and travel the world (literally) on her own, whenever time allows it. She made it to Georgia and even to Mongolia.
JÖRG BRETZ
"I work with nature, not against it."
Wines from Jörg Bretz are something rare and very special. They are mature and not too young. Jörg himself is a fascinating and yet laid-back character - and his wines reflect him perfectly. Complex and yet open, warm and hearty, traditional and exciting. Calm and straightforward, they hit the mark when it comes to taste.
Jörg produces extraordinary wines with a depth and structure that is soothing to the senses. He does not intervene in the natural process, he listens to nature instead. Through and through attentive, he lets the wine develop its intrinsic character and taste.
CA' DEI ZAGO
The original soul of Prosecco.
Ca’ dei Zago’s 5th and current generation winemaker, Christian Zago, is often referred to as the face of the “new wave” of Prosecco di Valdobbiadene growers and producers. But his approach to viticulture and his winemaking style actually go back to a century ago, long before anyone could imagine that Prosecco would one day become a worldwide phenomenon and the best-selling sparkling wine in history.
Founded in the 1920s, the Ca’ dei Zago family farm and estate stretches over just six hectares planted to vine, with the main varieties of Glera, Perera, Verdiso and Bianchetta Trevigiana. Many of the vines on the estate are more than 40 years old and most are planted on steep hillsides where all vineyard management must be done by hand. The farming practices are rigorously biodynamic.
CANLIBERO
Pure, soulful winemaking.
Canlibero, nestled in Campania's Benevento region, was born from a serendipitous alignment of events. Ennio and Mena, both from grape-growing families and devoted to natural wines, took a leap. In 2011 they start taking care of almost 3 hectares of vineyard belonged to Mena's grandfather, who used to sell grapes to the cooperatives, and started creating their own artisanal and delicious wines - their philosophy being that wine should nourish the senses, the soul and the body.
Located at over 400 meters of altitude, the vineyards are farmed with biodynamic methods on a soil rich of limestone and tuff. The deep respect for the fruit is then replicated in the cellar, where there's no space for sulphites or chemical additives. Wild fermentations, no filtrations or fining, and no oenological trickery. They work with traditional varieties like Aglianico, Fiano, and Falanghina, resulting in wild, captivating and delicious wines.
COLLEFORMICA
A passion for 130 years, and a pact with nature.
Sergio Bombetti and his son Paolo have their family vineyard in Contrada Colle Formica in Velletri, 45 km south-east of Rome. For over 130 years, the family has cultivated three-hectares of volcanic land. Two hectares are planted with Malvasia di Candia and Trebbiano for the white grapes, Primitivo and Sangiovese for the red grapes, while the remaining hectare has more than 150 centuries-old olive trees, fruit trees and a vegetable garden for the needs of the family. The fertility and richness of the voilcanic soil is noticeable for its great generosity and variety.
They farm entirely naturally, without the use of systemic chemistry, herbicides or pesticides, hand harvesting grapes, pressing manually and aging only in fiberglass tanks. Fermentation is done by native yeasts, without temperature control and with only minimal sulfites. Wine decanting and bottling are done in accordance with the lunar calendar.
DOMAINE CLÉMENT LISSNER
As wild as it gets.
Situated 20km from Strasbourg, in the historical village of Wolxheim, Lissner is a mythological Alsatian Domaine whose motto is “la vigne est notre jardin”. The domaine was established in 1848 and is now led by Bruno Schloegel and his son Théo.
Rooted in a deep love for their land and a trust in nature's own expression, they follow a farming method inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka. This "hands-off" principle prioritizes weaving over vine trimming, creating a lively biodiversity in the vineyard. Their approach involves no soil tillage, no intervention on the vegetative canopy, homeopathic doses of copper and sulfur, handpicked grapes in crates, slow pressing, and spontaneous fermentations.
DU VIN AUX LIENS
One vision, several terroirs.
Vanessa Letort is what in France they call “négociant”: she does not own vineyards, but buys her grapes from winegrowers who are committed to produce in the most sustainable way possible. All of them practice organic and biodynamic viticulture. No chemicals in the vineyards, or in the wine cellar. The fermentations and vinifications are spontaneous and as natural as possible, in order to let the grapes express the intrinsic qualities of the terroir through the care of the winemaker.
From 2014 she gathered some important experiences, for example while working with one of the biggest names of the Alsatian natural wine scene, Christian Binner, and in the end of 2019 she decided to create Du Vin aux Liens, a natural wine trade that embraces Alsace, Loire and elsewhere, with the participation of local and passionate winegrowers and artisans.
FRA I MONTI
Reviving and preserving.
The desire to create the Fra i Monti winery from scratch was born from the will to return to the land to produce organic, natural wines that are born first in the vineyard and then in the cellar. After gaining the right experience, Rocco and Benedetto, friends since childhood, managed to recover old vineyards that were abandoned at a rather high latitude, at around 1000 meters above sea level.
Surrounded by a dominant nature, characterized by chestnut trees, the vineyards are composed of indigenous cultivars such as Maturano, a white grape almost completely extinct, and Semillon, a grape variety imported from France during the Napoleonic era.
MANCIACIUMI
Wines of Mountains, Sea and Fire
Located on Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, Manciaciumi's winemaking journey is all about challenges and rewards. They've chosen the less-known southern slope, between Adrano and Trecastagni Etneo, which gives the grapes a different flavor compared to the popular northern slopes. Here, the soil, heat, temperature changes, and sun exposure make each vineyard special.
They're two friends who, like many, traveled the world searching for new experiences. After years of adventure, their hearts pulled them back home to Sicily. Today they use what they've learned to help their land grow and break free from old traditions that might hold it back. Each wine carries the unique volcanic terroir in its soul. The ever-changing landscapes of Mount Etna.
MASSERIA LA CATTIVA
Friendship and freedom.
Masseria La Cattiva was formed by a group of friends (and former brewers) - Leonardo, Alfredo, Paolo, Michele, Loreto, Manfredi, and Marianna - united by the love for the world of natural fermentations and low intervention wine.
In 208 the group started to experiment with their own fermentation method, and in 2019 they decided to revive the farm.
The six hectares of vineyards are farmed rigorously organic, everything is done by hand, the only products used in the vineyards are sulfur and copper. The fermentation is 100% spontaneous...
MIRA
Where human hands rarely touch the vine.
MIRA is a project by wife and husband Mirka and Milan Nestarec, showcased by Mirka. It is a project they have been dreaming about for years. Finally they managed to bring it into life.
Their winemaking philosophy is the epitome of low intervention. Rejecting conventional practices entirely, they let nature flourish as it pleases. Vineyards in which “a human hand rarely touches the vine”, without even pruning.
Working with what nature gives them, they create wines filled with a lot of character and incredible taste. Wines which mirror a very distinct terroir.
MONTEPIATTI
A return to traditional practices.
The vineyard's story began in the 1970s when Primo Bazzo, with foresight, acquired five hectares in the hills of Susegana. Originally planted with Merlot and Plavina, the vineyard changed hands over the years.
In 2020, Soira Bazzo and Filippo Santarossa took charge, managing two and a half hectares of Glera, alongside Bianchetta trevigiana, Verdiso, and Dall'Occhio—native varieties seeking adoption. Biodiversity efforts include tending hedges and woods for native plants. Beehives, cover crops, and flowers attract wildlife.
Manual vineyard operations focus on dry and green pruning using the sylvoz system. Minimal treatments leverage integrated pest management. Harvesting, done by hand with scissors and friends, emphasizes a return to traditional practices.
Montepiatti aims to revive traditional farming while embracing contemporary methods. Prosecco is dead; long live Prosecco!
LA PREARA
The authentic taste of artisanal wine.
La Preara is a family-run farm managed by Andrea and Monica Prà on the hills of Monteforte d’Alpone, in the province of Verona. The history of the winery dates back to the late 1940s when Andrea and Monica’s grandfather, Stefano, started producing wine partly to support his family by selling to neighbors and friends to earn some money, given the particularly difficult historical period. Between the 1980s and the early 2000s, it became much more profitable to sell bulk wine. Therefore, the father of the two changed the company strategy and started selling full tanks.
In 2019, Andrea and Monica, now adults in their thirties, decide to restore their grandfather’s original idea, returning to the production of bottled wine. Today, the winery has 20 hectares of organically farmed land (not certified), including 3 hectares of Corvina and 17 hectares of Garganega.
LA SORGA
The Punk-Rock soul of natural wine.
Antony Tortul isn’t your typical winemaker. He’s a rebel, a visionary, and a true punk rock soul in the world of natural wine. After years of working in vineyards across the South of France, from Bergerac to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Antony ditched the conventional path and founded La Sorga in 2008. His mission? To create wines that are as wild and free-spirited as he is.
All of Antony’s wines are crafted from organic or biodynamic grapes, with zero chemicals or synthetic products—just pure, unadulterated juice. His hands-off approach means every step, from hand-picking the grapes to using indigenous yeasts and aging in old barrels, is about respecting the natural process and letting the terroir express itself.
ROCCO DI CARPENETO
Minimal intervention, strictness & control.
Carpeneto is a unique strip of plateau among the gentle hills of the Alto Monferrato. We are in lands of historical vocation, characterized by clayey-loam soils but with a good presence of sand as well.
These soils are very balanced, enriched by breezes that blow from the south, from the sea, and contribute to drying the humidity in the vineyard. These elements alone allow for the exaltation of the typicality of the traditional grape varieties of this area, acidity and tannins especially in red wines.
Man is marginal, once again the secret is the terroir.
SONS OF WINE
Sons of nature.
Farid Yahimi's Sons of Wine is a one-of-a-kind winery in Alsace, and perhaps in the world.
Before becoming a winemaker, Farid worked in IT, a life far from nature and natural wine. But through encounters, tastings, and self-reflection, he decided to make winemaking his new profession. With the help of his friend Christian Binner in Alsace, he started making natural wines in his garage and after several years of experimenting with he established his négociant business in 2017.
The common thread that runs through the ever-changing selection of wines is Farid's main ideal: creating wines that are incredibly drinkable.
TENUTA DE MAIO
The natural colors of wine.
De Maio is a family of agriculture. Grandfather Domenico already grew olive trees in Rignano Garganico in Puglia. After moving to San Severo, he taught his son and grandson the love for olives and the vines.
Antonio De Maio, the grandson, who is now in charge, has been pruning olive trees, harvesting grapes and learned to make wine when he was a child. The “underground cellar type of wine” he says, very popular around San Severo in the 70ies.
In 2010 he began the renovation works for an old farm with a proper cellar and in 2013 he started transforming grapes into wine with the help of his son-in-law Giovanni.
TENUTA VINCENZO NARDONE
"Wine is an expression of those who make it. I do it the artisanal way." Pupo
Wine is meant to be drunk! Says Pupo - aka Nicola Nardone. He is the soul of the volcanic estate in Venticano, Province of Avellino and makes wines full of soul and substance. He graduated in viticulture and oenology at the University of Bordeaux with all the fancy people and took over the family business in 2004.
Madly in love with his own land and in constant search for experimentation, he now produces identity wines with a strong territorial connotation, all children of clean and sustainable agriculture - in stark contrast to the rigidity and rigor of the Bordeaux wine tradition school.
Needless to say, the results are amazing.
LA VIA DEL COLLE
The secret of biodiversity.
In 1982, after their marriage, Renzo and Oriana decided to buy 7 hectares of land and a farm to combine their passions: bees and wine. They planted vineyards, artichokes, asparagus and fruit trees. Their twins, Chiara and Francesco, have taken over the passions of the parents. Francesco being the winemaker and Chiara being the one who takes care that the honey and the fruit transforms into an entire range of beautiful products.
Today they work 28 hectares, which include vineyards, olive groves, woods used for the collection of truffles, arable land, fruit and vegetables and about 300 mostly permanent beehives, and have a beautiful shop with a tasting room.
They produce organic certified wine using only the grapes grown in their own 5 hectares of vineyard. They select the best grapes available in the coolest hours of the morning and pay great attention to the process of accompanying the must into wine.
VIGNOBLE BUCQUET
Love is the answer.
Coming from a family of winegrowers for four generations, Ludovic Bucquet has established his vineyard in the town of Moirax in Lot-et-Garonne in 2021. Working 4 hectares with organic agriculture, he creates epicurean and indigenous wines that highlight the uniqueness of the region, its culture and heritage. His approach is to work with nature rather than against it.
In the cellar minimal sulphur is used solely before the fermentation, never before bottling. The fermentation is spontaneous, triggered by indigenous yeasts.
His working method is pure and sincere, traditional yet modern at the same time. Ludovic incorporates biodynamic practices in anticipation of a future certification.
Weingut Philipp Reiss
Craftsmanship. Freedom. Time.
Born in 1995, Philipp Reiss is a young winemaker and oenologist based in the village of Steinbach, Baden-Baden, a German region bordering France, specifically Alsace.
Decidedly vocated to Riesling and Pinot Noir, here wine is a part of everyday life for most families, and you discover it as soon as you enter Steinbach: the vineyards cover a large part of the hills around the town, but also the gardens of the local family houses. It is precisely from his family, especially from his grandfather, that Philipp inherited his passion for wine and viticulture. In the past, the family owned just under a hectare of vineyard, whose grapes were destined for the local cooperative.
After his studies in viticulture and oenology in the Pfalz, Philipp had some excellent training experiences, such as at Weingut Heinrich in Burgenland.