What’s the easiest way to vine-hop? How about in a room full of winemakers, equipped with nothing but an empty glass and a healthy level of curiosity? On Sunday we had this exact opportunity.

RAW WINE in London is a two day celebration of some of the best natural, organic and biodynamic wine in the world. We’ve got so much to talk about following this amazing event but, for now, here’s a taster from each of us to whet your appetites…

 James:

“For me, attending a global wine fair is the equivalent of being a kid in a sweet shop. There’s so much choice… The kid just wants to try them all but hasn’t a clue where to start! This was exactly how I felt when arriving at RAW WINE on Sunday.

“The fair is a celebration of organic and biodynamic wines, and artisan vignerons from across the globe come to show off their yields. Lily and I were invited down to speak with the organiser Isabelle Legeron, so we jumped at the opportunity and got organically ‘Wined Up’ in the process.

“I was really happy to see a lot of young winemakers at the event. There was a huge variety of producers; from Christine Coletta, who set up Canada’s VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) back in the early 90s, to Rachel and Ruben Everett from Oxford, a mother and son team who have recently set up Catalan wine distribution company L’altreVi.

“Possibly the most encouraging thing I saw was the shift in style of French wine, specifically by Domaine Wilfried from the Rhône région. French wine is often seen as the best in the world but also as the stuffiest. Often, the bottle label depicts a particular chateau, has the village’s name on it, the vintage year and… not much more really! Domaine Wilfried’s bottles were like works of art and there wasn’t a picture of a house in sight. The wine inside the bottles was pretty delicious too!”

Lily:

“What a perfect way to spend a Sunday! Whether you’re well-versed in natural, organic and biodynamic wines or not; this is an event to add to your calendar every year if you consider yourself a wine lover.

“Perhaps the most impactful element of the fair was the palpable air of passion in the room. These people are some of the most talented wine professionals in the world, so the atmosphere was electric, as you can imagine! Each and every person we spoke to made me want to visit their vineyard and learn about their unique process – my bucket list has grown by a third.

“The stand out producer, for me, was Gut Oggau from Austria. Not only are their wines truly spectacular, the concept behind their branding is wonderfully unique and full of personality. Stephanie Tscheppe-Eselböck, who co-manages the estate, spoke to us about the fact that each of their wines has an assigned character, rather than a simple tasting note on the bottle. Each bottle has a face, specially drawn to reflect the nature of the wine inside and, instead of a tasting note, you’ll find a short biography.

“I left feeling truly inspired by the artistry on display. We learned so much and cannot wait to share it with you.”

Look out for numerous posts about the fair, including our interview with Isabelle Legeron, over the next few weeks! For now, you can learn more about RAW WINE here: http://www.rawwine.com