Fête de la queue — c’est la mode.
If any event is a place to witness the Cult of Natural Wine, The Nez dans le Vert is it.
The Hall was way too Small for an event with so much Interest , Fandom to the Max , One of the most revered wine fairs in the Natural Wine world at the moment , Is it just a cult , has it been hijacked by Wes Anderson esq styled Bojo sub cult.. I really don’t know how to feel about it.. It way better than traditional or Conventional wine fairs , which are extremely boring and well ..Traditional , The wines however on a whole are outstanding , with the long elevages suiting Natural wine in general.
I arrived early, having left the Alps around 6 a.m. No idea what time it started, but with these kinds of events, it's best to show up early—crowds swell fast. Two queues to get in: one for pre-paid, one for cash. I was in line for 30 minutes before the doors even opened—and I hate queues—but it was growing quickly. I hear a lot of North American Accents , The metropolitan Hipsters are here in Drovves , looking for there next Insta bottle..
Once Inside, the queue started at Labet, where people were lining up to nab a couple of bottles before even tasting. Some waited two hours. Gen Z dig queuing—they feel like they’re missing out if they’re not in one.
Absolutely rammed within 45 minutes. An hour and a half after opening, it had full-on firework-nightclub-inferno vibes. The kind of crowd crush you read about in the news. I had to leave. It was done for me. So did a few influencers I spoke to (I’m not one of them); they left after an hour or two—it was just too busy.
I could go on... but let’s not.
Let’s look at the positives: the wine was good. And maybe, that’s all that matters at the end of the day. Or is it?
It’s also a great event to buy wine—very organised. The pickers and packers were busy little bees.
La Maison de Rose
Not one of the most well known winemakers , not pulled into the gravational orbital pull of social media yet , Dominique & Désiré GRAND family have been making wine since the 17th century , so they are rather good at it , excellent wines for the price.
Domaine Du Pelican.
Montigny-lès-Arsures near Arbois
Great wines . a little cache of tranquility hidden away at the back,.Hard to find , hard to Buy , none were for sale at the Event.
The Labet Queue…
Visit ; Arbois easy enough to reach with aid of a hire car , Fly into Geneva.
Didier Grappe & Son.
Didier Grappe and his son are pouring both hybrids and Savagnin ouillé, as part of the Vitis Batardus Liberata association. Personally, I love hybrids—they’re especially well-suited to cooler, damper climates, having been crossbred for natural resistance to mold and disease.
I find them incredibly refreshing, with a touch of astringency—perfect if you’re into that kind of thing. If you're a northern Italian aperitivo drinker, you’ll probably love these wines. They’re super deep, textured, and built for nuanced sipping.
Jura Wine , runs events during the fair.. and other tastings , Based in NYC I think and Jura during April.. https://www.instagram.com/jura_wine/
They run events during the week uptown the event with tastings at some of the top Jura Producers , Ganvet , Bonard and Pierre Overnoy..
Part of the Sicilian contingent that were invited , best in show was the wines from Alessandro Viola , warm , acidic and fruity almost jurassian style , lovely textures , these were a hit with everybody.. super body and bite.
Deity of the Day
Not many people were tasting the wines compared to the number quietly buying some. in the massive Queue They were very, very good. Most patrons were queuing up to buy a couple of bottles .
Mystery Wine List
The method of buying wine at the outdoor bar changed somewhat this year , winemakers had the labels taken off , and the bottles were opened , to discourage hoarding of bottles , only 20 euros for a bottles , the bottles had numbers on the label and then the list was published after , I loved this.
Butcher of Paris
The Butcher of Paris was serving up Croque Monsieurs that looked a lot like pulled pork. I never got the chance to try one, so I may be completely wrong , as the queue was pretty long — but I’m sure it was stunning.
Some lovely wines at Low prices , top quality , if you want to taste good Jura and not break the bank , go and find some.. Domaine Ratte About 9 ha across premier parcels such as Les Corvées, Clos Maire, Grand Curoulet, and La Régaule—vines ranging from 20–80 years old on marl‑limestone soils , Stainless steel and neutral barrels . the Arbois Nature was nice.
Novice Wines
Really great wines from Domaine Nøvice, based in Poligny in the Jura region of France. Founded in 2019 by Yves Roy—formerly an apprentice at Valentin Morel’s Domaine Les Pieds sur Terre—the estate spans 5 hectares of old vines, primarily Savagnin and Poulsard, rooted in marl-limestone soils.
Recently, some of their wines have been packaged in cans, possibly as a way to reach newer markets. It's a notable step that reflects a broader trend toward modernization in the natural wine world—not necessarily a bad thing.
Summery
If your a Jura wine fan or wanting to taste wine that’s very different form the rest then go for the weekend , its a nice region and the people and winemakers are very hospitable and nice , its not stuck up or stuffy.
Cons , I know it changes Venues up to now , however they will need a more expansive Fair Space , BACK TO BEING IN A FEILD WHERE THE EVENT CAN SPEAD OUT NATURALLY , IT WAS WAY TO CONFINED IN THERE AND A BIT MESSY..
