A French Wine Tasting

With Wayward Imports, Modal Wines, Tutto Wines, Keeling Andrew, 266 Wines & Bavette Bistro

09.09.24 @ Eat Your Greens

Photos by CJ

While the majority of Leeds went about its regular Monday schlep there were the distinct sounds of corks being pulled in one small pocket of the city centre.

Eat Your Greens had decided to host a natural wine tasting for bars and restaurants in the area, some slightly further afield, and, as we all know, where there’s wine there’s a good time.

Local natural wine trailblazers, Wayward Wines, were joined by a bevy of London importers, each manning a table heaving with biodynamic and low-intervention wines for the discerning taster. Just to make your mouth water even more, the exceptional neighborhood bistro, Bavette, had set up camp in the Eat Your Greens kitchen, dishing out yummy French treats, designed to complement the wines on show.

Alongside Wayward were representatives from Tutto Wines, 266 Wines, Keeling Andrew & Co. and Modal Wines, and it’s safe to say, they all brought their A-game. It really was an amazing buzz which, for a short while, made Monday feel like the new Friday. If only.

EYG likes to consider itself a hub for like-minded people to get together, you only have to pull up a stool at the bar and start chatting to your neighbour to get that vibe, they pride themselves on making it a haven for lovers of good food, good drink, good music and all the other lovely stuff that gets you through the day.

Surely there is no better way to spend a Monday afternoon than learning about natural wine, supping and munching with kindred spirits.

Talking to importers during the afternoon, what became clear was the level of enthusiasm within the industry for these sorts of events. Representatives from the various businesses working their way through the tables not only brought a professional interest, and a much-lauded curiosity, but also a strong feeling of community which seems to surround the natural wine movement.

It has been a tough time for small businesses, and many have felt the pinch in recent months but events such as this are a real tonic, showing the hunger for good food, and good wine is non-wavering. As people are working so very hard to ensure there are wonderful and exciting establishments to sit and break bread with their loved ones and friends, it’s a joy when they can all down tools, for an afternoon, have a glass of goodness and catch up on some much-needed gossip.

Becs Winslow, co-director of Wayward Imports, a Leeds-based importer, summed up the day wonderfully when she said: “For us, in particular, there is a growing sense of community around natural wine, so to see that and to see the amount of interest from so many people, and just to see that scene growing, and more people getting into it, is a total joy.

“There is a sense of community, people working together through food, drink and music, it felt like the wine scene in Leeds may have gone on the simmer for a while, so it’s really nice to see somewhere like this hosting today and loads of like-minded people in attendance.”

Tabled beside Becs was Roman Pawar, sales director for Modal Wines, a company with a regenerative farming-led portfolio of natural and organic wines from every corner of Europe.

Roman was highly enthusiastic about the tasting, saying: “It’s been a lovely response today, a great mix of people already knowledgeable and happy to try new wine, there have also been interested people who are less familiar with a new style of wine, a real mix.”

When asked whether he thought events like this were necessary to make people more aware of naturally made wine, he replied: “100%, wine is such a huge world and so many thousands of wines to get to know, the only way anyone can get to learn or come to understand about different ways to make wine is by tasting it, so you need tasting events.

‘People have to try the wines and hear the stories, and I think there is a whole collection of very passionate importers who are very connected to their growers, which I think is the best way to get the message across, to have people who really care about the producers they are working with.

“Everyone is selling something that was made with deep care and passion and is trying to bring it to the UK with that same level of care and passion, we all feel like ambassadors for our growers.”

We were interested to know if Roman felt the industry had become tougher recently, making events such as this even more essential.

“It’s been really a roller coaster since COVID, immediately after that there was a big boost, it felt like more people were getting adventurous with their wine choices during the pandemic when they were stuck at home drinking and that filtered out for the restaurants and then, once they were allowed out again, everyone was very exuberant, going out and spending money and that was also good.

“But, then, as some of the economic reality started to hit, they obviously scaled things back and business was harder won, people went into a bit more of a defensive position I guess..there was a bit less optimism in the market.

“I feel in the last six months that shift has started again, certainly in London, there is a bit of an upswing in the market, people have adjusted to the cost of living and realise if they want to go out at all it's going to cost more money, so people have stopped being more conservative that way and more restaurants are opening, the open restaurants are getting more adventurous…adding suppliers, so that feels like an upswing.

“Generally speaking, London seems to lead the pattern in spending and over time, I’m hoping, that will filter to other places,” Roman explained.

We managed to catch up with Damiano Fiamma, co-director of Tutto Wines, near the end of the industry tasting, just before the public was invited in to grab a glass from the specially selected wine menu, put together specifically for the day.

Asked how the day went, he said: “I’m here to propose and expose people to something that tastes a little different from what they are used to, sometimes people are surprised and to be surprised is great, it’s a good thing in life to be surprised.”

Damiano added: “I’m finding food and wine that’s really down to the substance of the flavour and how they make you feel, and sometimes drinking a wine that gives you a nice energy, and that’s the kind of wine I like drinking and that’s the wine I love to sell.

“Natural wine is something which is a product of the land, rather than being something which is made in a particular style, and that’s why you make wine, just fermenting grapes, what you get is very interesting and unique, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. It’s up to us, as importers, to buy the good stuff.”

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration and spending an afternoon with people so passionate about what they do, surrounded by agreeable souls, definitely provided a precious inspirational jolt on an otherwise monotonous Monday.

After the trade tasting, Eat Your Greens welcomed the public, offering non-industry guests the opportunity to sample a curated selection of the afternoon’s natural wines. Local bistro Bavette continued to serve its exceptional dishes, perfectly paired with the wines on offer, while resident DJ Josh Moneypenny provided the evening's soundtrack, adding to the lovely atmosphere.

The Eat Your Greens team has more tasting events on the horizon. Be sure to keep an eye on their website and social media, or sign up for the mailing list to stay in the loop and not miss out!