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A collection of wine bottles on a table. Bodega Rosette

The Best Places to Drink (and Buy) Natural Wine in San Diego

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Natural wine is a squishy categorization with no official definition, labeling, or governing body, but the term generally applies to wines that have experienced little to no manipulation. That is, wines that use grapes that have been farmed organically or biodynamically, fermented only with native yeasts, and produced without preservatives, colorings, or flavorings.

Sometimes funky, sometimes effervescent, always interesting, natural wine, for all intents and purposes, is a return to the oldest winemaking methods. A belief that if you let the grapes do their thing, the truest expression of the fruit, the earth, the unique place they’re grown — the terroir if you will — comes through.

Natural wine has become increasingly popular locally, so much so that one of the best natural wine festivals in the country happens right here in San Diego. Nat Diego is returning this year with a grand tasting event that will be held on Saturday, June 18 at Bread and Salt in Barrio Logan; tickets are $60 (plus fees and taxes) with proceeds benefitting Slow Food Urban San Diego.

For your ongoing drinking pleasure, Nat Diego co-founder and Eater Wine Club contributor Chelsea Coleman, who co-owns The Rose and Bodega Rosette, has helped to compile a list of local restaurants, wine bars, bottle shops, and wineries focused on natural wine production.

Note: map points are not ranked.

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allmine

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This new Oceanside pizzeria, which is getting good notice out of the gate, features wines that are natural and organic, made by producers who farm and process their wines responsibly without any additives.

Dija Mara

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Widely lauded for its delicious and innovative food, Oceanside’s Dija Mara also boasts an all natural wine list. Featuring some darlings of the natural wine moment, especially some heavy hitters from California wine country, try a glass of the Las Jaras Glou Glou, which as its name suggests, is highly drinkable.

Bottlecraft Oceanside

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The latest location of this local bottle shop chain is part of Oceanside’s Tremont Collective where it features in-house food partner Shootz Fish x Beer. Though its all about beer – there are 30 taps to choose from, the store shares ownership with Vino Carta so its wine selection is equally well-sourced.

Jeune et Jolie

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Though the food might be the centerpiece of this Michelin-starred restaurant, its beverage program has been outstanding from the start. The extensive wine list, which hails mostly from France and California, includes bubbly Pet Nats and skin contact wines. Down the street at Campfire, its most casual counterpart, the list hinges around domestically-produced natural wine across the board.

Photo by Kylle Sebree

Principe di Tricase Winery

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This Ramona property, which is a vineyard and working farm that also grows Christmas trees, is open for tastings by reservation only. Producing only natural wines, the winery uses its own mostly Italian varietals or sources grapes from local growers.

Vino Carta Solana Beach

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Well-established in Little Italy where it highlights natural and smaller production wines and family-run wineries, this bottle shop and tasting room’s newer location in North County also offers Wednesday through Saturday dinner service as well as Sunday brunch from culinary pop-up Long Story Short.

Charlie & Echo

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Specializing in natural and craft — mostly sparkling — red, white, rosé, and dessert wines using grapes from local vineyards, this urban winery’s recently grand opened tasting room is located in the Miralani Makers’ District off Miramar Road

Ambrogio15

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Co-owner Giacomo Pizzigoni and his partners, who also run Semola in La Jolla and Ambrogio15 at the Sky Deck, is particularly passionate biodynamic wine. His list is almost entirely biodynamic, which is a farming philosophy all about balance and harmony with nature, that he says carries into the winemaking of the bottles he features. Go here to try rare and funky, exclusively Italian wines.

JDixx Photography

The Fishery

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The Fishery selects wines in order to showcase producers dedicated to making natural, food- friendly, terroir-driven wines. Their list does an especially good job of traveling the globe; try unique bottles from Turkey, Slovenia or Hungary, all countries with rich wine traditions that aren’t always represented on American lists.

Courtesy photo

Bine & Vine Bottle Shop

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This Normal Heights gem has long been a go-to for its excellent selection of craft beers but it’s also a worthy stop for natural wine. Online as well as in-store, find an international array of natural wine producers including local labels like J.Brix and Charlie & Echo.

Fortunate Son Chinese

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The funk and character of natural wine make it a great complement to Asian food. At this CH Projects venue serving Chinese-American fare you can find a variety of natural wines; Grüner Veltliner makes for a particularly good pairing.

An opulent gilded arch in a Chinese restaurant. Fortunate Son

Madison

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Perhaps better known for its cocktails, this University Heights bar and restaurant also boasts a great selection of natural wine that are all clearly marked on their menu. Get your hands on anything Bichi makes if you can.

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Clos Wine Shop

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Delve into low intervention, organic, and biodynamic wines at this University Heights wine store and wine bar that delivers free to surrounding neighborhoods.

Hoxton Manor

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With a recently-opened rooftop space, this North Park restaurant expands access to its Southeast Asian-inspired menu, creative cocktails, and natural wine-focused list.

Tribute Pizza

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Since its inception, North Park’s beloved pizzeria has offered a thoughtful and progressive wine selection that includes organic and biodynamic bottles including a rotating orange wine and other “natty” options.

Bodega Rosette

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A North Park relation of the Rose in South Park, this 30th Street bottle shop upholds the wine bar’s dedication to natural wines and extends the philosophy to its collection of small-batch, lesser-seen spirits.

Inside Bodega Rosette there are shelves of gin and natural wine on the shelves and a cooler of chilled wine Kimberly Motos

CUCINA urbana

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CUCINA urbana has been featuring natural wines for nearly a decade. Beverage director Augusto Ferrarese looks for wines that embody a sense of place, specifically clean winemaking, low manipulation and vintage variation when applicable.

Photo by Carissa O’Connor

The Rose Wine Bar

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The Rose in South Park may just be the center of San Diego’s natural wine universe. With an entirely natural list, this wine bar and bottle shop is basically the platonic ideal for any natural wine lover. Come for the wine, stay for the empanadas.

Fernside

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An industry favorite and friendly neighborhood spot known for its excellent cocktails, Fernside also puts care into its wine list, which is full low-intervention options, from pét-nat to several varietals from California’s Lo-Fi Wines.

A cocktail bar with bar stools. Fernside/Facebook

allmine

This new Oceanside pizzeria, which is getting good notice out of the gate, features wines that are natural and organic, made by producers who farm and process their wines responsibly without any additives.

Dija Mara

Widely lauded for its delicious and innovative food, Oceanside’s Dija Mara also boasts an all natural wine list. Featuring some darlings of the natural wine moment, especially some heavy hitters from California wine country, try a glass of the Las Jaras Glou Glou, which as its name suggests, is highly drinkable.

Bottlecraft Oceanside

The latest location of this local bottle shop chain is part of Oceanside’s Tremont Collective where it features in-house food partner Shootz Fish x Beer. Though its all about beer – there are 30 taps to choose from, the store shares ownership with Vino Carta so its wine selection is equally well-sourced.

Jeune et Jolie

Though the food might be the centerpiece of this Michelin-starred restaurant, its beverage program has been outstanding from the start. The extensive wine list, which hails mostly from France and California, includes bubbly Pet Nats and skin contact wines. Down the street at Campfire, its most casual counterpart, the list hinges around domestically-produced natural wine across the board.

Photo by Kylle Sebree

Principe di Tricase Winery

This Ramona property, which is a vineyard and working farm that also grows Christmas trees, is open for tastings by reservation only. Producing only natural wines, the winery uses its own mostly Italian varietals or sources grapes from local growers.

Vino Carta Solana Beach

Well-established in Little Italy where it highlights natural and smaller production wines and family-run wineries, this bottle shop and tasting room’s newer location in North County also offers Wednesday through Saturday dinner service as well as Sunday brunch from culinary pop-up Long Story Short.

Charlie & Echo

Specializing in natural and craft — mostly sparkling — red, white, rosé, and dessert wines using grapes from local vineyards, this urban winery’s recently grand opened tasting room is located in the Miralani Makers’ District off Miramar Road

Ambrogio15

Co-owner Giacomo Pizzigoni and his partners, who also run Semola in La Jolla and Ambrogio15 at the Sky Deck, is particularly passionate biodynamic wine. His list is almost entirely biodynamic, which is a farming philosophy all about balance and harmony with nature, that he says carries into the winemaking of the bottles he features. Go here to try rare and funky, exclusively Italian wines.

JDixx Photography

The Fishery

The Fishery selects wines in order to showcase producers dedicated to making natural, food- friendly, terroir-driven wines. Their list does an especially good job of traveling the globe; try unique bottles from Turkey, Slovenia or Hungary, all countries with rich wine traditions that aren’t always represented on American lists.

Courtesy photo

Bine & Vine Bottle Shop

This Normal Heights gem has long been a go-to for its excellent selection of craft beers but it’s also a worthy stop for natural wine. Online as well as in-store, find an international array of natural wine producers including local labels like J.Brix and Charlie & Echo.

Fortunate Son Chinese

The funk and character of natural wine make it a great complement to Asian food. At this CH Projects venue serving Chinese-American fare you can find a variety of natural wines; Grüner Veltliner makes for a particularly good pairing.

An opulent gilded arch in a Chinese restaurant. Fortunate Son

Madison

Perhaps better known for its cocktails, this University Heights bar and restaurant also boasts a great selection of natural wine that are all clearly marked on their menu. Get your hands on anything Bichi makes if you can.

Courtesy photo

Clos Wine Shop

Delve into low intervention, organic, and biodynamic wines at this University Heights wine store and wine bar that delivers free to surrounding neighborhoods.

Hoxton Manor

With a recently-opened rooftop space, this North Park restaurant expands access to its Southeast Asian-inspired menu, creative cocktails, and natural wine-focused list.

Tribute Pizza

Since its inception, North Park’s beloved pizzeria has offered a thoughtful and progressive wine selection that includes organic and biodynamic bottles including a rotating orange wine and other “natty” options.

Related Maps

Bodega Rosette

A North Park relation of the Rose in South Park, this 30th Street bottle shop upholds the wine bar’s dedication to natural wines and extends the philosophy to its collection of small-batch, lesser-seen spirits.

Inside Bodega Rosette there are shelves of gin and natural wine on the shelves and a cooler of chilled wine Kimberly Motos

CUCINA urbana

CUCINA urbana has been featuring natural wines for nearly a decade. Beverage director Augusto Ferrarese looks for wines that embody a sense of place, specifically clean winemaking, low manipulation and vintage variation when applicable.

Photo by Carissa O’Connor

The Rose Wine Bar

The Rose in South Park may just be the center of San Diego’s natural wine universe. With an entirely natural list, this wine bar and bottle shop is basically the platonic ideal for any natural wine lover. Come for the wine, stay for the empanadas.

Fernside

An industry favorite and friendly neighborhood spot known for its excellent cocktails, Fernside also puts care into its wine list, which is full low-intervention options, from pét-nat to several varietals from California’s Lo-Fi Wines.

A cocktail bar with bar stools. Fernside/Facebook

Related Maps