La Dive Bouteille is perhaps the most iconic fair for natural wine. Do you want to meet some of the star winemakers, this is the place to be.
Some say that La Dive Bouteille, also known as La Dive, is the biggest natural wine fair and that the people there are a little mad. After my first visit I can only confirm this, especially the part about people being a bit mad, but in the most perfect, wild and cool way.
Unquestionably, La Dive is one of the most famous and iconic fairs for natural winemakers, importers, and wine professionals and definitely worth a visit.
The atmosphere
La Dive takes place once a year in Saumur in the Loire region of France. The location is in the old Caves of Ackerman, the oldest sparkling wine house in Loire founded in 1811.
The old, rustic, and beautiful caves are packed with winemakers in a labyrinth of corridors. The atmosphere is energetic, eclectic, lively and festive. It’s more of a festival than a fair in conventional sense.
When entering you get a wineglass and a spitting cup (remember to use it!), and then it’s just to dive into the world of natural wine with more than 200 winemakers ready to give you a tasting and a talk.
Meet the stars of natural wine
La Dive is said to be the Met Gala for natural wine people. This might be true in the aspect of being a hotspot for alle the stars, legends, and icons of natural wine.
The difference is the perfect lack of formality here. There are no suits or fancy dresses – you can come in your old field-boots and still feel relaxed.
Of course, there are more hype around the famous winemakers, but everyone is welcome and willing to chat.
A secret club
Despite the size of the fair, visiting La Dive is somehow like being part of a small and secret club. A community of natural wine lovers where everybody know each other and are here to meet, relax, drink and party.
After the fair the party continues in the city, so ask around where the party is but remember to book your dinner table ahead. Saumur is a small town, and La Dive is well visited.
In general, it’s not easy to find information about the fair. The website is not always updated, and the Facebook profile is sparse. Everything is very under the radar, and you must be part of the community to get the information which is primarily by word of mouth.
Sensory overload
La Dive is a unique chance to taste some of the most amazing and staggering natural wines, so be prepared to give your senses an overload of experiences.
You can easily taste up to 100 wines on a single day! Remember to spit if you want to have an idea of what you’re tasting at the end of the day.
Get more tips for going on wine fairs here.
La Dive is not open for all – only for wine professionals. Are you a restaurateur, importer, wine writer etc. you can join the fair.
