What does it mean when a natural wine is described as "funky" or even "wild"?

It describes the aroma and mouthfeel of a wine. Basically, "funky" means: away from conventional wine tastes. And "wild" much more. They can have strong vegetal or lactic aromas, can be cloudy or even have a different colour, such as orange wines, also called mash-fermented wines.

How does "funky" natural wine's taste?

A funky natural wine has different faces: the smell and taste can be herbaceous, earthy, buttery, even a little stinky or oxidative, as known from cider or sherry. Some have a rougher texture, especially if they are orange. In general, funky feels like a more complex and layered flavour...

What makes these wines funky or even wild?

Natural wines are produced without pesticides, artificial yeast, additives and without or with a minimal amount of sulphur. This means that the grape juice is not artificially manipulated to achieve a certain flavour. Instead, they are given time to ferment, develop and mature, giving them their very own character and flavours.

If you're already familiar with funky natural wines, try some wild ones to really surprise your palate!

And finally, unusual or wild aroma profiles do not mean better wines. Both are characteristics and since taste is something very personal, you should try our Natural Wine Finder to find out if you are a classic, funky or wild wine lover :)

A selection of funky and wild natural wines can be found here:

Enjoying natural wines is a journey for everyone's palate. Many who drink a funky natural wine for the first time find the taste takes some getting used to.

However, once you have caught fire, the multi-layered and lively tastes won't let you go.

For a good start, we recommend the following wines:

	Those who like juicy, drinkable and lively wines with light alpine herb notes will love Andi Mann's Cuvée Weiß.
	Like a lemonade for adults, the light orange wine Weißer Mulatschak from Meinklang prances across your palate. Sweet and funky!
	Things get more complex with the multi-layered floral Tonsur from Pranzegg, an all-time favorite of ours. Tastes like a flower meadow.
	If you want to challenge your palate even more, Bianka and Daniel Schmitt conjure up an intense, floral orange wine in the glass with their Erdreich.
	You would like to have a Pet Nat for an unbeatable price-performance ratio? Voilà! Foam Vulkan from Meinklang brings you foam party feelings.