You know what’s better than a wine tasting event that features some really excellent producers of low-intervention wines? Two days of that kind of event plus some thought-provoking panel sessions to go along with it.
That’s what you’re going to get this coming weekend with the Unfiltered Wine Festival hosted at Donkey & Goat Winery in Berkeley. Billed as “A Celebration of Wine on the Edge,” this event features a number of my favorite California wineries pouring their stuff, and some very interesting topics for discussion.
The panel sessions include: “Breaking the Champagne Spell: California’s Great Sparkling Wine Experiment,” “From Chad Hinds’ ‘Psychic Terroir’ to Vinyl Listening Bars: Recentering The Experiencial Value of Wine Through Music,” “An Essential and Elusive Grail: Imagining the Future of California Table Wine,” “Natural vs. Conventional: Where Is The Line and Why Does It Matter?” “The Lodi Effect: How Did Lodi Become a Hotbed for Creativity in Wine?” and “What Makes A Great Wine: Restraint versus Risk.”
The panelists for these talks are some of the who’s-who of California wine producers, plus journalists, sommeliers, and more.
Here is the list of producers scheduled to pour during the two days of the festival:
Saturday, July 25th
AmByth Estate, Analog Wine Co., Caleb Leisure, Clos Saron, Donkey & Goat, Driftwood Cottage, En Cavale, Feral Ecology, Forlorn Hope, Frenchtown Farms, Fres.co Wine, Ghostnote, Grenachista, Ian Brand Wines, Inter Tidal Wines, Iruai Wine, Joseph‑Jibril, Lula, Matt Crutchfield Wines, Onward Wines, Prima Materia, Reclamation Wines, Rootdown Cellars, Spur Road, Thee And Thou Wines, A Tribute to Grace, Unturned Stone, Vine Farm Ridge, Volta, Wonderwerk.
Sunday, July 26th
280 Project, Arcadian, Bedrock, Ellsworth Wines, Enfield, Etteilla Wines, Gondak Cellars, Haarmeyer Wine, Helia Wine Co., Hovik Wine, Mad Marvlus Wine, Madson Wines, Maison Des Plaisances, Minus Tide Wines, Native Bloom Winery, Newfound Wines, Ottavino Wines, Popelouchum Estate, Precedent, Ruby Blanca, Ruth Lewandowski, Ryme Cellars, Samuel Louis Smith, Schema Wines, Ser Wines, Stagiaire Wine, Trail Marker Wine, Virgo Magic, Ward Four.
These are all independent, vision-driven, high-integrity winemakers. Some are newcomers, others have been leading the way for decades. Some are unabashed natural winemakers, while many believe in the judicious use of sulfur dioxide. Regardless, there’s lots of tasty juice on offer during each day.
In short, not a bad way to spend a couple of weekend afternoons!
2026 Unfiltered Wine Festival
Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM both days
Donkey & Goat Winery
1340 Fifth St
Berkeley, CA 94710 (map)
Tickets for each day will run you $65, with a two-day pass price of $95.
