#1 Why are Cocorico’s wines natural like (almost) no other?

If there’s only one question to ask when you buy natural wine, it’s “is it dry farmed?”
Why? You have to know that it takes 120 liter of water to make one single glass of wine and the biggest part of that number is irrigation. Cocorico only works with winemakers who don’t irrigate and this is where it becomes interesting. Less irrigation means that the vines produce less juice. Ultimately, that same juice is a lot more concentrated and turns into a richer and more complex wine. Unfortunately, “natural wine” is not regulated and the consumer is often not informed of that.

On top of that, our wines are made by independent winemakers who use no intrants, who add no or very low added sulphites and who don’t fine, filter and whatnot. In that sense, you couldn’t buy wines that are more natural than ours.

#2 Why only French wines? Aren’t you a bit too “French" you Frenchie French?

Don’t get me wrong, I love old Chenins from South Africa, Sivi Pinot from Slovenia, Riesling from Mosel Valley or Pinot Noir from Japan. Oh yes I do, but let’s be honest. Other people do it better than me because they are from there. I focus on French wines because that’s what I know best. I go there to visit my family, my friends many times a year. I eat, drink, sleep France and have friends on the ground who tell me what to taste. I have a clear advantage and I would be stupid to not use it. I also see more and more Australian, Japanese or American natural wines in The Netherlands. Although it’s definitely great quality, I’m personally convinced that a natural wine that crosses the world to get to me has lost its natural purpose. In that sense, I’d rather buy wine from Belgium than from New Zealand even if I know that it’s top notch.

#3 If your wines are true gems, why were they not imported yet?

Good one! It’s simple. My winemakers produce so little that they don’t need to export or to promote their wines in fairs. Some of them don’t even need Instagram or to pretend that they speak English. Thus, the only way to reach them starts with a good old call, to visit them on site and to speak perfect French, local slang is a plus. A French guy importing French natural wine to Amsterdam, it was about time.

#4 My bottle smells weird, is it normal Doctor?

My wines have been carefully selected to not have the down sides of natural wines. Yet it can happen even to the best and here’s what you can do.

Case number 1: If it smells like, goat cheese, cow manure, burnt matches, rotten eggs, garlic, this is called “Reduction” and this means that the wine needs to breathe. It rarely affects the palate. Leave the wine be for 10/20 minutes or decant it. If the smell remains, put the cork back, call me, I’ll do an exchange.

Case number 2: If it smells or tastes like wet cardboard, wet dog… hum, the wine is corked and there’s no fix to that. Put the cork back and call me for a free exchange.

#5 How should I keep my wine at home?

No matter the bottle, it should always be laying on the side, never standing, to always keep the cork in contact with the wine. It should be placed in a dark place away from vibrations, the sun and a source of heat. No need to be crazy about the temperature as long as the temperature of the place increases or decreases progressively to avoid temperature chock. Most of our wines can be easily kept 2 years. Vertigo is the wine that has the longest life expectancy with 10 years, if you can resist it.

#6 How does the delivery work?

We work with PostNL (flespakket) who provide a reliable door-to-door delivery. For NL, the average delivery is 1 to 2 working days, Belgium 2 days, France and Germany 2 to 3 days. Since we sell alcohol, you’ll undergo a quick age check during the delivery in NL. I offer free shipping from 100 euros.

#7 Can you deliver to my country? I don’t see it in the list.

Good news, I probably can! Please send me a message and I’ll come back to you for the shipping cost. At the moment I do it progressively to make sure I can ship wine to you under the best circumstances.

#8 Will your wine be available in shops and restaurants?

Yes and yes, I’m working hard to get the wine on the right shelves and wine lists to make sure it has the stage it deserves. At the moment, you can find my wine at Wijnhuis Amsterdam where Ivar and David will happily help you.