In the past ten years, a grassroots movement has taken hold in the global wine industry. Usually called “natural wine” – or, sometimes, “low-intervention,” “raw” or “pure” wine – it’s often easy to spot in a glass by its slightly cloudy appearance.

Another difference is setting – natural wine is often served in surroundings that don’t look like the serious enotecas of the past. A natural wine bar might have a state-of-the-art turntable sound system, and they could serve expensive oysters, but there’s no dress code.

The brightly-colored labels, unexpected flavors, and rare grape varieties of natural wine can pull you in, but it can also feel like there’s a lot to learn about this genre. Here are five tips to support you as you fall down the wild, wonderful rabbit hold of natural wine.

 Learn about importer portfolios, then scan for their back labels

This hack is immensely helpful when you’re in the bottle shop. Every time you try a bottle you like, note the importer on the back label. Whenever you’re browsing and wanting to try something new, that back label serves as a sort of guarantee. Importers curate their portfolios tightly while embracing enough diversity to keep it interesting, so working your way through a portfolio will introduce you to new regions and wineries, with a high probability that you’ll strike gold. 

Go to events and meet other natural wine lovers

One of the best, and most enjoyable ways to learn about natural wine is by making friends within the community. Find events at your local bottle shop, restaurant, or wine bar, and go by yourself or with someone who’s also keen to explore, and then don’t be shy – introduce yourself and ask questions. This especially applies if a winemaker is present at the event. That’s your chance to sip the wines in the presence of the maker and learn about their unique vineyards and approach. 

Form or join a tasting group

Again, socialising with wine is the key to learning while having fun. A wine tasting group involves a group of 5 or 6 people coming together around a theme, such as “orange wine” or “sparkling wine,” trying things – often while blind-tasting (see below) – and chatting. You can tackle hard questions together, diving deep into online research while you drink. This is also a great way to enjoy pricier wines without constantly spending your own savings – pool your cash together and you can drink better.

Blind tasting

Test your palate by having someone pour a wine for you, hidden in a paper bag, without telling you what it is. What can you guess about this wine? What grape variety or blend is it? Is it young, or aged? Is it an affordable, everyday wine, or an expensive one? No wrong answers, only good guesses – you’ll get better with experience! Blind tasting is also a great way to challenge preconceived notions about wine. 

Visit a winemaker

On your next holiday, schedule a day for visiting a winemaker. Contact them in advance and ask for an hour or two of their time. Come prepared with a small gift and questions. They’ll appreciate your interest and the cultural exchange, and seeing the vineyards and winery will teach you more than you could ever learn about wine while simply drinking a bottle.  

Rachel’s book, How to Drink Natural Wine, is out now.