Bethan Higson
UK
Meet the mother of Mother Root...
A small artisan producer living in Peckham with her husband, two boys and their elderly dog George, Bethan Higson is the creator of Mother Root... and her delicious ginger switchel might just be the perfect alcohol-free drink.
Bethan stumbled into switchel-making in a roundabout way, after a 10-year career in the wine and spirits trade... “I was pregnant with my first child and craving something that would give me the same acidic bite as my favourite white wines. So I was Googling and it led me to an old article about bartenders using an ancient vinegar drinking tradition to make cocktails with more diverse flavours. Turns out vinegar is a great flavour amplifier, so it’s perfect for making non-alcoholic drinks too. Armed with my wonder ingredient I began experimenting with other ingredients and winemaking techniques like maceration, blending and ageing. And that’s how Mother Root was born.”
She’s the perfect fit for Naked Wines. Her obsession with quality and attention to detail mirror the same commitment we see in all our winemakers. It’s that level of passion which makes her switchel so unique, and why we’re proud to bring it to Angels.
Spain
El Bierzo's Godello making maestro joins the Naked family
149 Ratings
37 Followers
Chile
Meet Natalia... Chile's Young Winemaker of the Year 2018 and a rising star who's about to go supernova
96 Ratings
608 Followers
When our Wine Guy Ray came back from his epic discovery trip to South America, there was only one person he wanted to talk about… Natalia Poblete. A rising star of Chilean wine, she’s earned a burgeoning reputation in her country for her beautifully complex artisan wines. And she was even named Chile’s Young Winemaker of the Year in 2018.
We first tasted Natalia’s kit way back in 2019. It made us stop in our tracks and think ‘ooh, we could be onto something special here’. Fast forward to February 2023 and we asked her if she could knock-up a super-duper-delicious Chilean Merlot for our Angels. One sip and Ray got the little butterflies in his stomach. It was that good.
She’s a super-cool lady too, a bit like a Chilean version of Nina Stocker or Serena Cordero, with an incredible passion for her craft and quiet confidence in her own talent. We feel like we’ve reconnected with a long-lost member of the Naked family. And we’re so lucky to have crossed paths with Natalia when we did, because give it another few years and the whole world will be clamouring for her wines.
New Zealand
With 20-year stellar careers in the industry, this fab foursome are practically winemaking royalty down under
2,360 Ratings
548 Followers
Gus & Swan Altschwager and Mark & Emma Kenneally are two couples who together make some of Naked Australia’s most loved wines, under their proud A&K (Altschwager & Kenneally) label.
At the core of every wine they create is an unswerving respect for the land. Their passion is to source only the highest quality, sustainably grown fruit. The attention to detail is reflected in the sheer expressiveness of their wines.
It’s a rare treat indeed to finally land some of A&K’s thoroughbred wines on UK shores. Given how much Aussie Angels love them, we’re not sure how much we’ll get in the future, so fill your boots while you can!
France
Jean's cracking Crozes-Hermitage wines are some of the best quality and value you'll find in this part of the Northern Rhone
2 Ratings
13 Followers
The Esprits have been growing grapes in their little pocket of the Northern Rhone since 1909, when Jean’s great-great-grandfather Joseph decided to lay down roots on some of the very best terroir in the entire Crozes-Hermitage appellation.
In 2017, after 5 generations and over 100 years of selling their top-notch grapes, Jean decided it was high time the family kept some for themselves. He built a brand new winery and cellar and that very same year the very first Domaine Jean Esprit wines were made.
Having tasted Jean’s kit, we reckon old grandpa Joseph would be mega-proud of what his great-great-grandson has achieved. His wines are silky yet decadent, fruity yet elegant, and showcase the incredible quality and incredible value you can find in this part of the Northern Rhone.
France
The talented Bordeaux brothers continuing a family legacy of fine French wine
14 Ratings
4 Followers
Ludovic & Julien are the latest generation of Meffres to take up the family mantle of producing first-class fine wines from some of the most sought-after sites in all of France.
It was their grandfather Gabriel who began the family legacy in the mid-20th century. It was he who acquired the historic Chateau du Glana estate - located in the prestigious Saint Julien appellation, with a history stretching back to 1870 - albeit it was in a sorry state at the time.
Thankfully, old ‘grand-père’ Gabriel must have had a crystal ball, or maybe he simply recognised the stunning quality and potential of the estate’s Bordeaux soils. Either way, in the years since, this committed winemaking family has restored the site to its former glory. With Ludovic and Julien at the helm now producing fine French wines at some of the best quality for the price that you’ll find in the entire region.
France
Born and bred Medoc winemaker who revolutionised his father's estate
109 Ratings
40 Followers
The son of a grape-grower in the heart of the Medoc, Guillaume always knew he would one day take over the vineyards worked by his father, and his father before him. But it was his visits to the local cooperative - where his dad’s grapes were blended in with other growers’ - that sparked a passion for winemaking in young Guillaume’s mind.
When he did take over the family vines 30 years ago, all Guillaume had to work with was a few spare tanks and some barrels he found lying around. In the decades since, he’s revolutionised his father’s estate into a fully-kitted out winemaking workshop where he can tinker with every stage of the winemaking process, with a perfectionist’s eye for quality.
His proudest moment was when he won Cru Bourgeois status in 2012, this special honour is awarded only to exceptional Medoc wines that aren’t from the old, big-name chateaus - as a stamp of top quality. It’s a testament to what Guillaume has been able to achieve at his dad’s old estate, and remarkably, he still sees more potential to come out of the old Poitevin vines. Potential he hopes to pass on to the next generation of family grape-growers.
France
Son of a giant of Bordeaux winemaking, proudly following in his father's footsteps
9 Ratings
28 Followers
Born into the famous Lurton family of winemakers, Jacques' father Andre was a true giant of Bordeaux, with a celebrity reputation and an incredible wine portfolio built over 6 decades. It was only natural that Jacques himself would follow in his father’s footsteps and, when Andre passed away in 2019, it was Jacques who took on the family mantle as CEO and winemaker of the family business.
It was in Australia in the 1980s that Jacques really discovered his passion for winemaking, when he saw the groundbreaking techniques Aussie winemakers were using - light years ahead of traditional old Bordeaux. He came back to work at the family estate, bringing these newfound techniques with him, before founding the world’s first flying wine consultancy with his brother. Over the years, he’s made wine in more than 20 countries - from France to Australia to Argentina to Moldova - and filled up a fat stack of passports.
Now back in Bordeaux, Jacques is super-excited to be making wine for you and he’s keen to hear your feedback, which he says will help make his wines even better. A lover of cool-climate styles - like those of Piedmont, Burgundy and the Loire - Jacques tries to evoke those characteristics in his own wines. And being from Bordeaux, you just know his kit's going to be fruity, complex and velvety smooth.
A passionate Bordeaux-born winemaker, Max gave up a jet-setting career in banking to return to his roots and follow his life-long dream of becoming a winemaker, with his wife Astrid by his side. In 1998, they fell in love with the magnificent Chateau Doyac - a historic estate with fantastic limestone soils and sunny, south-facing slopes - and were soon calling it home.
They’ve left their mark over the years, planting new vines and upgrading the old cellars. But the biggest upgrade on the estate came in 2016, when they decided to convert all of their vineyards to organic farming practices. Working with the utmost respect for the environment, Max’s philosophy is to make fine and elegant wines in the style of the greatest Bordeaux.
A man of many talents, Max recently took up Brazilian jiu jitsu and is also a keen surfer, you’ll often find him riding the waves with his daughter Clémence - an oenologist who’s also part of the winemaking team at Chateau Doyac. And when he’s not at the beach, he’s riding around the Médoc roads on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Born to be wild, born to be a winemaker.
France
For centuries, Alexandre's family have made some of the finest wines in all of France from their little corner of St Emilion
103 Ratings
27 Followers
The latest in a long line of Bordeaux masters from the legendary Malet-Roquefort family, Alexandre is a big cheese in the world of fine French wine. But first and foremost, he’s just a really passionate winemaker. And he can’t wait to share his passion for St Emilion - and its celebrated wines - with you.
Not many winemakers have a family history as rich as Alexandre’s. The Malet-Roqueforts have been making some of the most sought-after wines in the world at their historic St Emilion estate since the 18th century, where they’re the oldest established family in the entire region. In fact, their fame dates all the way back to the start of the last millennium, when a great display at the Battle of Hastings won favour, and a fiefdom, from William the Conqueror.
Nowadays, Alexandre blends tradition with innovation and a deep respect for the beautiful terroir he’s forever grateful to have inherited. There’s no doubt that his old family vines are up there with some of the very best in the world. And we’re chuffed to bits to share the incredible spoils with UK wine-lovers like you.
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