Meet Katie, aka @WinesThatSlam
This interview has been edited for clarity and was featured in the May 24, 2023 issue of Merobebe.
Merobebe
Let's start with some quick icebreakers! What's your favorite wine and food pairing?
Katie
A nice, crisp riesling with Chinese food! Sichuan is my fave.
Merobebe
If you could visit any wine region in the world, where would you go and why?
Katie
I would love to get the opportunity to go to Champagne, France. I have so much respect for what all winemakers do, but I would love to see first hand the old vineyards and meet the families that care for the land and make some of the best Grower Champagnes that we all know and love.
Merobebe
What would your wine superpower be?
Katie
In regards to winemaking, it would definitely have to be the ability to just look at a tank or a bin and have it be pressure washed with my eyes. In regards to selling wine, I wish I had the superpower to know everything about each and every bottle I look at.
Merobebe
What got you into natural wine?
Katie
What specifically interested me about natural wine is that at its core, it is the purest and most authentic way to make wine – nothing added and nothing taken away. Natural wine also demands support and respect for the land in its ability to grow this beautiful thing we all know and love, which is just such a beautiful concept to me.
Merobebe
What are some of the biggest misconceptions around natural wine, and how can the wine industry better support and advertise natural wine?
Katie
I say this in the context of small, caring producers, but I think one of the biggest things that people do not understand about natural wine is that wine is an agricultural product. There is a growing season, farming that needs to take place and, like any agricultural product, it’s at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Wine has this reputation of being this beautiful, elegant product – which it is – but what people need to realize is that real people are behind the small, caring wines that we all love. It's about, Oh, now we have to pick a day earlier because it's supposed to rain the day we were supposed to pick. Ope, there's a heat wave coming, now we're going to go take the brix [sugar measurement] a day earlier because things are going to ripen faster.
It's about farming and adapting to nature, not the other way around. There is only one picking season each year. You pick and make wine, and that is a producer's product for the whole year until it's time to restart the process next year. That's part of what makes natural wine beautiful in my opinion. It's three long, grueling months but once a wine of that vintage is gone, it's gone. And it's going to be different next year because it's a whole new year.
At the end of the day, wine is beautiful and at its core pretty simple, but it's the people and the places and the earth that enable us to have this beautiful, beautiful juice from the land.
Merobebe
What are some tips for getting into natural wine? Are they all going to be "funky" and "weird?"
Katie
I think one of the best tips for getting into natural wine is to ask a lot of questions. Natural wine isn’t this new method of making wine, it’s the original way of making wine. Reading, tasting and asking questions is the best way to learn! I was scared that all natural wine would be funky or “off,” but there is such an art and science behind it.
When it’s made well, which can be harder to do vs. conventional wine, the terroir and the fruit shine bright and the wines are absolutely beautiful.
Merobebe
As consumers become more eco-conscious, do you think natural wine (or at least more natural wine) will become more popular?
Katie
I definitely think that natural wine aligns beautifully with being more eco-conscious. Winemaking uses a lot of water and resources, but natural wine uses organic grapes, is hand harvested instead of machine harvested, uses no pesticides, and creates compost; the list goes on and on. Natural wine reminds us that wine is an agricultural product, a crop with a growing cycle that is directly affected by the weather 365 days of the year.
Merobebe
What has been the biggest adjustment from working on the wine production side to the sales side?
Katie
I think one of the biggest adjustments from the production to the sales side is that people generally don't understand how much hard work, planning, and cost goes into making wine. They don't understand how long it takes to make wine, and how much work goes into each and every bottle. Wine has this really rosy colored reputation and obviously, if you don't see the other side of things, rosy colored is all you see. But it is fun to see and learn about a different side of the business, as my wine journey is just beginning!
Merobebe
How do you think the wine industry can better address issues of accessibility and affordability for a wider range of customers?
Katie
Ooh, what a great question. When I first got into wine, I was really frustrated by how pretentious and unattainable the wine industry seemed to me. I do think that it's slowly getting better. It’s why I created @WinesThatSlam, where I determine if a wine "slams” and write silly things about wine to make it more fun and relatable. Writing tasting notes like, “pair this babe with a cozy blanket and frozen pizza” with a picture from whatever '80s movie I'm watching is my best effort to make wine fun and accessible.
In terms of affordability, as we're all aware, everything is more and more expensive these days and wine is no different. I think being unafraid to taste, make connections with the community, and just reading and talking to people is a way to at least feel empowered to ask questions and find your place in wine, whatever that may be. Financial accessibility is huge, but small producers are having to charge more money in order to stay in business. With that in mind, there are still so many amazing wines that you can get that are between $15 - $30.
Merobebe
Anything else you’d like to share?
Katie
Support your favorite wine makers! Follow their Instagrams, buy wine directly from them, or at the very least be conscious about only going to local bottle shops! Natural winemakers are doing their best and running a business. If you can directly support their business, that's the best way to show some love!