04/27/2026
I met Luis in my third year of university, on a trip with my roommate to a small town at the southern tip of Portugal. We formed one of those fast, unforgettable friendships you only make in your 20s—two days in a surf town with a population of fewer than 100, just before tourist season.
Fast forward 10 years: I was back in New York City for culinary school when a friend poured me a glass of Nat’Cool. The wine was vibrant and effortless, the label eye-conic — one of the winemakers, a familiar face: Luis. Our friendship reignited over bottles shared thousands of miles apart.
A few years later, I visited Luis at the Niepoort winery in the Douro Valley. He led us through a hidden floor hatch into a cellar lined wall to wall with 100-year-old Niepoort port, toured us through the winery, and welcomed us to lunch with the Niepoort family—sixth-generation winemakers and one of Portugal’s most respected names in wine. Luis also tasted us on his own project, grown on his family’s hillside vineyard overlooking the Douro River (last photo).
Nat’Cool isn’t just a wine—it’s a movement. Led by some of Portugal’s most forward-thinking producers, it champions minimal intervention, native yeast fermentation, and sustainable farming. The result is pure, expressive wine that captures the essence of Portugal in every sip.
We’re proud to carry Nat’Cool at our shop and restaurant, with their signature 1L bottles available to take home—and the Vinho Verde being poured by the glass.
