Wine snobbery paired with others’ perceived notions of how/when/why/where you’re supposed to drink which wines have you feeling a bit raw? Yeah, me too. That’s why I’m so pleased it’s time for the Raw Wine Fair to roll into town again for two days of celebrating (and tasting!) some of the world’s best independent and artisan wines.
To be held at the Old Truman Brewery 15 and 16 May and featuring wines from more than 200 growers, Raw Wine Fair will present for a fifth year in a row a delicious and intriguing collection of fine, natural, organic and biodynamic wine from across the globe.
I’ve had a blast – and even learned a thing or two – at past Raw fairs. It’s among my events on the London food and drink calendar. Yes, of course, the wines taste great but it’s just as cool to meet the folks behind the bottles, who represent an intense assortment of the wine world’s rule breakers, mavericks, super geeks, and hard core traditionalists.
I’m especially looking forward to sipping my way through this year’s offering. A few weeks back I attended a preview tasting of wines made in clay pots – all of which will be available to sample at the fair and a few of which are top of my list to try again when I head over to Raw on Sunday. For a refreshing take on what wine could be rather than what it should be, that’s as forward thinking as it is keen to learn from the distant past, Raw’s the place to be.
Oh and one more thing …
If you can’t make it to the actual fair or you’re craving more more more artisan wine, you’ll be pleased to hear that Raw has teamed up with The London Edition hotel in Fitzrovia for a pop-up basement wine bar showcasing a selection of 200 low-intervention organic, biodynamic and natural wines with lots of them available by the glass. Alongside wine is an assortment of craft beers, charcuterie, and raw milk cheese boards as well as homemade pork pies and scotch eggs all from the Berners Tavern upstairs. The Basement Pop-Up is on now until 16 May.
Raw runs Sunday 15 and Monday 16 May at the Old Truman Brewery, 83 Brick Lane, E1 6QL. Ticket prices start at £35 (purchased online) for one day. Buying your tickets in advance would be wise indeed. Find out more at rawwine.com.
