CHEERS Wines Worth Exploring
Locals sing the praises for natural wines—from Maryland
When trying natural wines, keep in mind that some can have unusual aromas, small particles and sediment.
When it’s hot out, Southwest Florida hot, most people reach for something refreshing to drink. With beaching, boating and bikinis also part of the equation, healthful and portable beverages are desirable. Finding all three in the adult beverage category can be challenging, especially if you’re a wine drinker.
Two of the fastest-growing categories in the wine world are “natural” and “canned.” Putting the two together is almost unheard of and nearly mind blowing when it comes from grapes grown in Maryland rather than California or Oregon.
In January Drew Baker, vigneron of Old Westminster Winery in central Maryland, packed his cans (as well as a few bottles), left home and arrived at Natural Wines Naples for his Florida debut. The reviews were rave.
The term natural in winemaking refers to a style that goes back thousands of years, using native yeasts, without additives such as sugar, dyes, chemicals and pesticides.
Natural wines are also typically lower in alcohol; the higher the alcohol or ABV count, the higher the calories. That can make a difference during bikini season.
Peter Rizzo, owner of Natural Wines Naples, adds, “I know from anecdotal experience that these wines are better for our system with no chemical residues or fertilizers, made without coloring, sugars or a host of 70 other legally approved additives.”
Rizzo is the undisputed expert of natural wines in Southwest Florida. “In 2015 when I had this idea to open a natural wine store, these wines were virtually nonexistent down here,” he says. But Rizzo worked with the modern-day founders of the natural wine movement in the ’90s as an importer in Boston. He has a wealth of knowledge (and loves to share it), along with the connections to source brands that consumers would be hard pressed to get their hands on anywhere else.
While it’s a passion project for him, Rizzo sees the future of natural wines in the hands of millennials like Ryan Lay and Naomi Biber, owners of Palace Pub and Wine Bar in Cape Coral.
“Peter is like our natural-wine father; he’s given us so much advice,” says Biber. Since opening their wine bar, Biber and Lay have added a retail section selling only low-intervention and natural wines.
“I want to be able to drink two or three glasses of wine and not wake up feeling awful,” says Biber about her affinity for natural wines. She adds, “I also feel like the labels on many of these wines are fun and artistic, not so serious, catering to millennials like us.”
Take, for example, the colorful canned wines from Maryland’s Old Westminster Winery, with names such as Seeds & Skins, Farm Fizz and Carbonic. Baker says, “There really isn’t any historical context when it comes to wines from Maryland, so we’re entering Florida with a clean slate in terms of blends and packaging.”
The family-owned winery is also the first on the east coast and one of only a few nationwide to put natural wines in cans rather than bottles, according to Baker. Cans are safer than glass for outdoor enjoyment, more sustainable and portable.
Seeds & Skins is made from pinot gris. It has a subtle orange tint, a slight fizz, and flavors of citrus and peach. Dry and acidic, it is a wine that beer lovers could appreciate as well.
Besides grapes, Baker’s family has an apple orchard. The heirloom fruit is used to make a wild cider called Happy Camper that was a big hit at the Naples unveiling.
When trying natural wines, keep in mind that some can have unusual aromas, small particles and sediment; they are unfiltered. “They’re not for everyone, but we’re OK with that,” says Baker.
Because no manipulation of grapes occurs from field to bottle, Baker acknowledges, “Some natural wines are flawed. Kind of like grandma’s cooking. At times it may lack a little spice or be a little burnt on the edges, but it’s grandma’s. It’s not fake food.” Gina Birch is a regular contributor. A lover of good food, good drinks and a fun time, she is also a well-known media personality in Southwest Florida.