Natural wine lovers, mark your calendars now: Third Coast Soif is back for a glorious second year, happening Sunday, March 18th 2018 in Chicago. The event takes places at Journeyman Plumbers Union Hall (1340 West Washington), just three blocks off the CTA Green Line Ashland stop. Featuring 60+ winemakers and importers across dozens of tables, this is Chicago’s—and one of America’s—premiere natural wine event, and Sprudge Wine is thrilled to be joining the event this year as official media partners.
The mind boggles at that which will be guzzled: the idiosyncratic Sancerre superstar wines of Sebastien Riffault; Spanish natty leaders Partida Creus; a murderer’s row of Georgian winemakers including Iago Bitarishvili, Nikoloz Antadze, John Okurashvili, and John Wurdeman; Emilia-Romagna’s very own La Stoppa; Cali wine heroes like La Clarine Farm, Tony Coturri, Martha Stoumen, Les Lunes/Populis, and Scholium Project; Oregon punkers Joe Swick, Minimus, Beckham Estate, Brianne Day, and Kelley Fox; world-beating importers like Jenny Lefcourt, Savio Soares, Zev Rovine, and Jose Pastor; your favorite natural winemaker’s favorite Champagne house, Champagne Lalarge-Pugeot; and the living legend down from Mt. Etna, Frank Cornelissen himself.
All this and much more! Stay tuned to the Third Coast Soif official website and Instagram account for fun “off Soif” events happening around Chicago. To learn more about the fest we caught up with Mark Lindzy, organizer and co-founder at Third Coast Soif (and national sales director at Jose Pastor Selections). Buy tickets now before it sells out, and we’ll see you at the Soif!
Sprudge Wine: Hey Mark! Thanks for talking with Sprudge Wine. For starters, give us an overview of Third Coast Soif for folks who might be unfamiliar.
Mark Lindzy: Third Coast Soif was born out of a conversation among Chicago-based wine professionals, with the intent to put together a non-trade wine tasting that celebrate/champion naturally made wines and their creators. There was a burgeoning movement on both coasts (SF/LA/NYC) yet nobody had attempted to organize a similar event to Big Glou, Brumaire, or RAW Wine.
The basic tenet is to have consumers attend an event where they can meet the winemakers and importers, and taste the wines that they represent and love.
SW: Who is new exhibiting this year you’re especially excited for?
ML: I’m very happy to have this second event about twice the size of the March 2017 inaugural, therefore providing room for more domestic winemakers as well as more national importers. Having long-standing importers like Jenny Lefcourt and Savio Soares will be a treat as well as a solid contingent from eastern Europe (Georgia, Greece), and the “new new wave” of winemakers out west like Purity Wine and Martha Stoumen joining the old guard like Tony Coturri is very exciting.
SW: What role do importers play at the fest?
ML: Almost all of the importers involved in 3CS will have their own table to show wines they are proud to represent, but their winemakers couldn’t attend themselves. One of the few who won’t have their own table is Louis/Dressner, since they already have a dozen winemakers attending (they will be in the USA for their national portfolio tour).
SW: Are there any cool outside events happening around TCS folks should know about?
ML: There will be many “off-Soif” events such as tastings and wine dinners, which will be listed on the website when they become finalized. What I’m most excited about is the screening/tasting of Our Blood is Wine documentary on Republic of Georgia winemaking, at The Music Box Theatre. Emily and Jeremy will show their film and there will be winemakers and an archeologist talking about the 8,000 year history of their craft.
SW: Is there like a white whale winemaker you haven’t been able to lure yet, but would love to someday feature?
ML: Of course there are the “big and famous” natural winemakers like Pierre Gonon, Jean-François Ganevat, Arianna Occhipinti and Elisabetta Foradori, but I’m very happy with the lineup for 2018’s event.
SW: What is your desert island bottle of natural wine?
ML: Domaine de la Pépière Clos des Briords.
SW: Thank you!
Sprudge Wine is an official media partner of Third Coast Soif. Interested in partnering with Sprudge Wine? Get in touch!
