We start with: small scale, organic or biodynamic practices, wild yeasts, and chemical-free winemaking.

Beyond that, the through-line is varietal, or we might say, “selection.” Whether it’s a particular blend of wild apples in our foraged ciders, the hybrid grapes exciting local winemakers, or a nearly extinct indigenous grape being revived by winemakers abroad, we curate a list highlighting lesser-known, provoking varietals, often from areas with extensive fermentation traditions that don’t get the same shine as the dominant wine regions of the world. These varietals are the lineage of a moment when someone tasted something they thought was good in a local rather than global context and decided it should be cultivated, shared, and further explored. In many cases, they also represent a choice to do more work, pay closer attention, and take bigger risks for the sake of imparting a unique relationship with place and history into the wine/cider. We like to support this radical re-investment in diversity and more often than not, we find ourselves rewarded with novel, exciting drinking experiences, fascinating stories, and a broader palate.

So our list, whether grape or apple, near or far, is a catalog of people who believe we are in conversation with the Earth and that by raising and fermenting certain plants into drinkable form in a responsible way, we can better hear what that place is trying to say, take better care of it, and feel more deeply connected to it.