The Warsaw Wine Scene, The Best Wine Fair in Central Europe, and a Slovakian Producer You Should Know About (If You Don't Already)

Hey guys!

I’m back in Europe for a couple of weeks, exploring new cities, hitting a biannual wine fair, and enjoying plenty of wine along the way. Today, I’m diving into my past few days in Warsaw, the largest natural wine fair in Central Europe, and a reliable Slovakian producer that’s always in the rotation. Hope you enjoy! 🙏

Exploring the Wine Bars in Warsaw 🇵🇱 

There’s a burgeoning wine scene in Poland’s Capital, here are a few highlights

I had some time to kill before traveling to Vienna this week, so I figured, why not Warsaw? I’d never been to Poland, didn’t know much about it, and honestly wasn’t expecting much. Which, as it turns out, is exactly the point. The Polish Tourism Organization’s actual slogan is: “Poland. More than you expected.” (I swear I’m not making that up, look it up.) And honestly, they’re not wrong. Warsaw thoroughly surprised me. Here are a few spots worth adding to your itinerary if you ever find yourself there:

Bar Rascal

Arguably the most famous wine bar in the city, and for good reason. It’s run by the team behind Natural Rascal, one of Poland’s leading natural wine importers, and the place has an incredibly impressive cellar. Go early or late, go hungry or just thirsty, there’s no wrong choice. We showed up on Friday night, and the owner ended up sitting with us for hours, popping bottle after bottle and ordering us food like we were old friends. If you’re looking for a place to start in Warsaw, start here.

LaLou Wine Bar & Shop

When I came to Warsaw, I figured I’d be drinking Polish wine, maybe some Czech, Slovak, or Hungarian bottles thrown in. What I didn’t expect was a wine bar with one of the best Burgundy selections I’ve seen outside the U.S. or France. The list was packed with rare and exciting bottles. On top of that, the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming. When we arrived, they were setting up for a Bernard-Bonin tasting, one of the most sought after producers in Meursault. The owner generously poured us a taste of the 2020 La Rencontre, and it blew me away, easily one of the best sips I’ve had all year. He even offered us seats at the tasting, which we had to (regretfully) turn down. Truly an above and beyond experience. This place is not to be missed.

Blisko Bar

Located across the Vistula River, in what I’ve been told is Warsaw’s “up and coming” side, Blisko Bar is run by the importer Winoblisko, with a clear mission: make natural wine more accessible in the city. I stopped by on Saturday and can confirm, this place is legit. They had some of most fairly-priced, rare bottles I saw: back vintages of Christian Tschida, Partida Creus, even Nicolas Joly, just casually sitting there. We ended up with a 2016 Maison Valette for 230 złoty, around $60. Pretty crazy. They also make their own wine under the label Dom Bliskowice, which they pour by the glass, and it’s fantastic.

Some honorable mentions in Warsaw: Restauracja Źródło, Rausz, MUSA Bar, and alewino, all worth a stop if you’re in town. We also made a quick detour to Krakow. It was fun, but too short of a stay to really get a feel for the scene. That said, a few spots to keep on your radar there: Kropka, Nat Bistro, Youmiko Sushi, and Zazie Bistro.

Inside Karakterre: Central Europe’s Best Wine Fair 🎪

Talking the Biggest and Best Wine Fair for Central and Eastern European Wine

It’s one of my favorite times of year again: Karakterre is back this weekend, bringing together some of the best winemakers from Central and Eastern Europe. The fair happens twice a year: once in Austria each Spring, and again in the Fall in New York. Started in 2011 by Marko Kovac as a small tasting tour through Zagreb and Ljubljana, Karakterre has now grown into one of the most respected natural wine festivals in the world.

I’ve been lucky enough to attend all of the New York editions since their inaugural US event in 2022, and last year, I made it to the fair in Austria too.

Karakterre always picks some incredible venues. In New York, it’s held on a terrace at Rockefeller Center, a lush garden space lined with producers pouring wine against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. Austria’s setting is something else entirely: hundreds of growers pouring inside a baroque castle that feels like a giant greenhouse.

What makes Karakterre so special is the mission behind it. It’s not just a tasting event, it’s a spotlight on a part of the wine world that’s too often overlooked. It gives a platform to winemakers who are reshaping the future of wine, both in this part of the world and beyond.

This year’s Austrian edition is in the same venue, and I’ll be touring around the country a bit beforehand as well, so stay tuned!

Producer Highlight ⭐️ 

One of our favorite parts of wine is the discovery: we’re constantly being put on to new regions, producers, and cuvées from our friends. We’ll never be able to try EVERY wine, but we want to take a moment to mention some producers that excite us!

That’s all for today! I’m now in Vienna until Sunday, then heading to Berlin and Copenhagen for the next week, so lots of fun stuff coming up. Definitely going to be asking you guys for some recommendations!

Thanks so much for reading along and, as always, drink responsibly 🥂