PLACES Natural Wines at Wild Thing

Sketch by Jay Artale @rovingsketcher

Natural wines@

Passion... knowledge and finally the perfect location. Here´s the story of how this Natural Wine Bar in Cabanas came about

We meet Olaf and Veronica, entrepreneurs, sharing a passion for natural wines, good beer, quality food, good company and a happy life. The pair have put Cabanas on the map, with people coming from far to get their fix of natural wine. Olaf and Veronica stand by their concept of natural chemical free wines. Like many, we assumed this meant organic wines, grapes grown without the use of pesticides and other harmful additives. We were wrong... Olaf and Veronica are part of a movement that is growing to support winemakers producing wine using simple or traditional methods. In the simplest form, natural wine can be described as 'nothing added, nothing taken away.' While there is no uniform definition of natural wine, it refers to wine produced without the use of pesticides or herbicides and with few or no additives. Natural wines are produced on a small scale using traditional rather than industrial techniques and fermented with native yeast. In its purest form, natural wine is unadulterated fermented grape juice with no additives in the winemaking process. We are shown a diagram in the shop, it clearly indicates how many chemical additives are in conventional, organic and biodynamic wines, and the level of sulphites they contain compared to natural wine. We are very surprised at the difference and can clearly see how much better for the body it is to drink natural wine. I can already think of a number of people who will be getting a bottle gifted to them as they enjoy a glass or few and they are very much into remaining and staying healthy. Olaf and Veronica are very generous and offer us a glass to taste and enjoy with them together. We appreciate a glass of rosé PetNat, which has the most delightful and entertaining little bubble to it, fizzing gently on our tongue, a refreshing dry and not too tart wine, perfect for a hot summer day. On their adorable, intimate terrace, we learn more about Olaf, Veronica, their concept and how they ended up in this tiny part of the world that is their paradise. 2019 is where it all begins, the start of the lockdown was nearing. Veronica's father, a pensioner, tasked his untameable Italian daughter with finding a place in the East of the Algarve for him to retire to. Veronica, having never been to this area before, set out to explore. First stop Faro, where she met Olaf from Germany, the two quickly became friends and remained in contact with each other despite travelling in different directions. Olaf was off to Lisbon while Veronica checked the East to find a home for her father. Quickly she found and fell in love with Cabanas, there was, however, just one thing missing from this paradise… natural wine. Thank heavens for

her friendship with Olaf in Lisbon. After some insisting and persuading, Olaf came to visit Veronica and Cabanas, he was armed with many bottles of natural wine from Lisbon. Cabanas very much appealed to Olaf and where he was in his life, he also started loving the natural wine Veronica had introduced him to. Quite quickly the pair hatched the idea of becoming distributors to local restaurants in the Algarve and Portugal, however, this proved to be too new a concept to sell and the couple quickly shifted gears turning their storage place into a place that would be inviting for all. And so the fun began for the pair of driven foreigners… requesting licenses and permits and transforming what was a little clothing boutique into the charming café and wine bar it is today and all of this with the covid restrictions in place and with the street they are on being dug up and closed off while waiting for it to be repaved and re-zoned as a pedestrian street. The hard work and efforts have paid off, the location is perfect, the street with its face-lift looks picturesque and both Olaf and Veronica beam with pride at their place in paradise. Alongside a selection of natural wines by the glass (or bottle), it's possible to order an assortment of delicious Tapas. Like the wine, the food served is top quality, from local permaculture gardens, fresh and mainly organic. The fresh goat cheese is from Azinhal (local and made naturally without chemicals added), the Halloumi and feta cheese are from Alentejo (Organic) the goat's cheese is from Serra da Estrela and sometimes sheep's cheese, blue cheese and mozzarella can be found. The terrace is perfect, we can see ourselves enjoying a glass or two of wine with a few of the Tapas. From experience, we can see how this little place is a true find. A place to sit, relax, watch the world go by while enjoying some delicious tapas and sharing a bottle or two of natural wine and not ever having to worry about having a hangover. Visit Olaf and Veronica at Wild Thing, explore their selection of red, white and rosé natural wines made in Portugal, Italy, Slovenia and Slovakia. Or try the selection of beers they have produced by local and small artisanal brewers. Make sure to try the tiramisu, made according to an inherited, authentic recipe. If you desire something more hearty, we recommend the mixed board filled with meats, the special cheeses listed above, fruits and all beautifully presented. And perhaps you will get to meet Veronica's dad, who regularly visits the wine bar and loves every moment he gets to spend in his second home. Wild Thing can be found on the Raisin app, Facebook and Instagram. Address: Rua Capitão Jorge Ribeiro, nº 55 8800-591 Cabanas, Tavira, Telephone: 00351 920 331 439