Holly Berrigan takes us on a natural wine tour from her cellar to your home.
Drop 04 | Season 02
Holly Berrigan, founder of MYSA Natural Wine, has carved out a niche in the wine world, championing natural wines farmed sustainably and made with minimal intervention. She and her husband Nic capitalized on the growing trend for natural wines during the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering directly to the homes of enthusiasts. For Season 02 Drop 04, Holly curates a selection of natural wines that stand out not just for their flavors but for their commitment to ethical production practices.
Holly Berrigan: In Vino Veritas, In Musica Vita.
With a WSET Level 3 certification with Distinction and current student in Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Stockbridge, Holly’s expertise is as rich and diverse as the wines she champions. For Drop 04, Holly brings her unique lens to curate a collection that perfectly blends the world of natural wine with the atmosphere of Playlist.
Season 02 | Drop 04 Interview | Apr 01, 2024
Playlist’s Matt Friesen: Holly, could you take us back to the beginning of your journey in the wine industry? What was that pivotal moment or experience that led you to fall in love with wine, and how did it inspire you to co-found MYSA?
Holly Berrigan: In my 20s I worked at the embassy in Italy thinking I would be a diplomat. But then I was pulled into the business world and ended up in consulting a job. And I hated it.
So I decided to figure out what I actually wanted to do. And I realized that the languages I speak (French, Spanish, and Italian) and the places I had lived all had to do with wine. So I signed up for WSET and I was like, “I'm just going to explore this for fun”.
And then I read a book called Voodoo Vintners that's all about biodynamics - and that was the gateway I had into natural wine.
After meeting my husband, I basically was like, “Hey, I want to do this thing with wine, but I have absolutely no idea how to really monetize it.”
That was super interesting for him, and we decided we should do it online. So we launched our first site called “Through the Grapevine.”
My husband is Swedish, and while we spending time in Sweden, we decided to rebrand the business with something with more of a cozy at home feeling.
So MYSA comes from the Swedish word mysig, which is like hygge. Everyone's heard of the hygge “cozy thing”, so that's why we went with it. The whole point is to bring wine to your house, which is cozy. And you should have this mysig moment where you're able to sit down and feel cozy with your wine.
Wine, words, & music by Holly Berrigan
Chandon de Briailles’
Aux Fournaux Savigny-les-Beaune 2018
Holly’s Picks | Wine 1
I have a whole category I call “stealth natural wines” where you’d never know they were natural and are perfectly classic. This Burgundy is EXACTLY that. Who doesn’t love Burgundy? I think it's the gateway drug into becoming a wine fanatic. This one is everything you’d want it to be, earthy, light, but with such depth and complexity.
I heard this song on a random Netflix Norwegian show and loved it for what feels like its mish-mash of genres. It feels right with this category of wine because it’s fun and talking about falling for something you didn’t expect. This wine feels like that, you think you’re getting classic Burgundy, BUT WAIT it’s natural!
MF: Natural wine is often seen as the wine world's return to its roots. How do you think natural wine challenges the status quo in the wine industry, and what parallels do you see between this and what’s going on in the music world?
HB: It's kind of annoying that we have to call it natural wine. It should just be wine, and everyone that puts stuff in their wine should be unnatural or whatever you want to call it. But yeah, it's definitely having a moment.
And I think that it's going to continue to grow. The idea of knowing where your food comes from is popular across the board, and I only see it growing in this category.
That being said, natural wine has its “hype juice” that is kind of separate from the natural wine movement. I don't know that we're putting a lot of juice in these crazy bottles and colors forever. But even if that fades, natural wine is still going to be popular on its own.
Many natural winemakers used to work in a co-op. They’d sell their fruit and someone else would make the wine, which wasn’t very lucrative. Similar to the wine space, there’s a movement in music for more ownership by the artists of their work.
Botanica’s
Flower Girl Pét-Nat 2019
Holly’s Picks | Wine 2
Cab Franc made as a pét-nat is almost always more vegetal and savory than using other reds in a rose. Every year she makes this one a little different, sometimes I feel it’s truly a sparkling red, this year it’s more refined and graceful. I love that you never know what version you’ll get, but it’s ALWAYS great.
We saw Maggie in Stockholm last summer and this song in particular really stuck with me from her set (probably the piano, that and horns always get me). The song feels like whiplash in a fun way, and it goes perfectly with this wine where you’re never sure exactly what you’ll be getting into but you know you’ll like it.
MF: When curating wines for MYSA, what criteria do you prioritize to ensure each wine not only meets the natural standard but also tells a unique story?
HB: I try to set everything up in a way that you‘re able to choose from all areas of natural wine.
I want something on the funkier side, something that you might not normally pick, or that looks a little bit scary. And I want something more unassuming. I like to call those “stealth natural wines”. And then everything in between.
I try to ensure we have a decent number of reds, because most people like reds, but also make it seasonal. So, if it's spring, I'm curating lighter reds, vs in the winter, I'll go with deeper oranges.
Honestly, I really go with what I want to be drinking.
Brutes Cider’s
Alright Alright Alright 2021
Holly’s Picks | Wine 3
One of my favorite Swedish cider makers (yes there are multiple great ones available in the US!) This one really gives the vinous cider vibes even though it’s actually apples, plums and pears! It’s one I’d pull out for any occasion and an instant crowd pleaser, especially with more people looking for low-abv options.
Wanted to get a Swedish song in here (that wasn’t the Bolibompa my 16 month old loves) because we listen to a decent amount of it at our house and this one has such chill, fun vibes and such a catchy chorus. As a Swedish inspired company (Nic’s half-Swedish) we had to get one in here!
MF: For someone new to natural wines, the taste can be quite distinct from conventional wines. How do you describe the taste profile of natural wines to newcomers, and is there a particular wine from this drop that exemplifies this uniqueness?
HB: If you’re speaking about them correctly, you're basically putting it in the perspective of potential flaws and why they're not flaws. That's like literally a natural wine.
For example, we would typically say volatile acidity is bad. But in some natural wines, we think that's nice because if it's balanced, then that's okay. So it's all about the perspective and how far it goes.
It's all about having the vocabulary to describe what is different about it from conventional wine and understand if it’s working for the wine or not.
So as far as the ones that are in here, there's a lot of ways you can go with that. The Marquesa is super light orange, but it's definitely one where you can feel the difference of the skin contact. That's a fun one.
Another perfect example is the Flower Girl pét-nat. Every year that wine is different than the last. Last year it was a deep red cab and this year it's lighter and it's amazing either way.
Talk about a strong female winemaker in Stephanie Tscheppe and add the wine persona Theodora giving fearlessly empowered vibes on the label and you have the perfect wine. Plus it also tastes incredible with off the charts complexity. It’s Chardonnay like you’ve never had it and will likely never have it again.
Gut Oggau’s
Theodora 2021
Holly’s Picks | Wine 4
Damn this song is empowering. As a woman in the natural wine space, I always feel grateful that there are so many amazing female winemakers, importers, writers, etc. with much greater representation than conventional. But there’s always work to be done and this song feels like it will fuel all that work with passion and energy.
MF: What’s one wine rule you love to break?
HB: There's a lot, because I feel like everything in natural wine is slightly breaking a rule!
But I really don't like the tasting grid. The tasting grid is made by a bunch of British white dudes. And it's like, “Is it blackberry or bramble?” What the heck is bramble? No one knows what that is!
Another example is I work with a somm from the Philippines, and he'll constantly say things like he’s getting notes of some random fruit from his childhood that you've never even heard of! But that doesn't make it wrong.
MF: Ha! Is it fucking delicious? That’s all I care about.
HB: Exactly!
Comalats’
Marquesa 2022
Holly’s Picks | Wine 5
This is not your ordinary wine or even your ordinary orange wine. It’s almost closer to a tiki drink than another wine with tropical notes and gorgeous aromatics. At only 10.5% ABV with 5 days of maceration and amphora aging.
It’s hard to pick a favorite Labrinth song, but this one feels perfect for our orange wines! This song honestly is and feels orange and radiant itself and puts me in such a great mood everytime I hear it.
MF: Living near regions known for incredible scenery and their up-and-coming food & wine scenes, is there anything local that has inspired you lately?
HB: Hudson has a great wine scene right now - they're doing a really cool wine fair. And then the Maine area, like Portland, has some of the best wine shops I've seen.
There's also lots of places in smaller-ish towns up in New England that people don't realize are even there.
Vermont makes some amazing wines. And if you go up into Burlington there are some really lovely places that have local wines that just feel so authentic. You’re drinking Vermont wines in Vermont with Vermont food. You're used to that with beer, but it's so cool to see it with wine.
Benjamin Bridge’s
Brut Sparkling NV
Holly’s Picks | Wine 6
As a blend of vintages, this wine gets great complexity for its price point with perfect structure and a fanciness that you don’t expect from a Canadian sparkler. Fresh with lime zest and some vegetal notes, the acidity and frothiness make it a perfect wine for what you typically want to put with bubbles (oysters, etc).
Been enjoying Noah’s music since moving to New England and this one is his most classic. Putting it with an awesome sparkling wine from Canada feels appropriate because I’m loving how much wine we’re getting from places further and further north. Though I will say the Canadian Northern Attitude is probably a bit warmer than Noah’s!
MF: How has your environment influenced your musical taste and your wine preferences?
HB: Yeah, it definitely influences both. I laughed as I was doing the curation, because people around here are obsessed with Noah Kahan, and it's not normally the music I would like, but he's literally writing about Boston and Vermont, and just makes me feel a part of it because I live in that area. So yeah, it makes me like music that I would not have normally been that excited about.
And I think I also just listen to more peaceful music. We're getting chickens next week, and I live in a peaceful time. And I'm a rural lady now. I was not expecting that! And it really affects the type of stuff I like to listen to.
That being said, I often change the music based on my environment. If I'm driving to the city, then I turn on music to get all hyped up, but if I'm at home, I have Maggie Rogers and other stuff going.
Bringing me back to my emo teenage years but with my updated folk music twist, this version makes me very happy in a nostalgic and “simpler times” kind of way, while also making me glad I am where I am now.
Testalonga’s
Stay Brave 2022
Holly’s Picks | Wine 7
My second South African wine in the mix and one of the most approachable and crushable oranges from Chenin. With just over a week of skin contact.
MF: If you could have any superpower to enhance your wine tasting and selection process, what would it be?
HB: Wow, that is a really interesting question.
Probably the ability to talk to the grapes. I want to ask what did you go through? Where are you coming from?
No one knows it for sure, but everyone assumes that the deeper the roots go, the more complex the wine is. That's why irrigation is a problem because the roots go up for the water and don't get any of the complexity from the dirt.
So being able to actually understand what's going on down there and how does that actually affect the wine. How much is from the roots and how much is from the top environment - that's one of the great mysteries, you know?
Different every year, but always a favorite, Bring It from Swick carries a punch and a delightful amount of complexity from all of the sheer variety of grapes leveraged in it. This year is Pinot heavy but he’s also throwing in 4 more reds and, plot twist, Gewürztraminer to take the aromatics through the roof.
Swick Wines’
Bring It 2021
Holly’s Picks | Wine 8
This band is from my neck of the woods and all of their songs make you want to dance, but this one has such a funny cheekiness to it that I love the idea of it with a wine that also feels like a small threat.
MF: In both the wine and music industries, there's always something new to discover. Can you share a recent "undiscovered gem" of each that you've found that excited you?
HB: On the wine side it’s all about regions that are becoming super interesting and fun.
All of this stuff from eastern Europe. Bosnia, Slovenia, Estonia, Poland. There's all these places with super cool stuff coming out of there. I'm very excited to see what starts coming out of Ukraine. They're probably in a bit of a pause right now, but eventually!
On the music side, I recently found some really interesting Swedish music. I've been trying to practice speaking Swedish with my daughter, and the more I sing, the more comfortable I feel speaking and reading to her in Swedish.
So Spotify Sweden is my undiscovered gem in music.
Jean-Pierre Robinot’s
Concerto di Venezia 2021
Holly’s Picks | Wine 9
Jean-Pierre Robinot is one of the biggest names in natural wine with good reason. Add to that the fruit coming from Tessier (another big name) and this red is primed to be one of the most memorable French 0/0 reds you’ve had. Fresh under ripe red fruit with a delicacy that is hard to get unless it’s 0/0.
This one gives you all the feels, her voice and the words are hauntingly beautiful. It’s not opera (and I do actually love opera, but didn’t feel it went with the rest of these songs) but her falsetto is giving some of those vibes and this wine deserves some serious vibes.
MF: Is there a particular bottle of wine or region that takes you back to a pivotal moment in your life or career?
HB: It has to be something from Burgundy. I realized my love for wine while drinking from that region because they’re just so damn good!
Southold Farm + Cellar’s
Don't Forget to Soar 2021
Holly’s Picks | Wine 10
This wine drinks like a blend of a delicate Alsatian and saline Mediterranean white. It’s one of the best expressions of note of honeydew I’ve seen and with the little bear headed to the sky it gives that impression of feeling light and airy. NOT an easy feat no matter where you are and even more impressive to be coming from Texas.
Love the piano in this song, it has a powerful message and it's so fun to belt in the car. Feels perfect with this unconventional Texas wine and the big bear headed skyward.
MF: You’re stranded on a desert island with the ability to have an endless supply of one wine and one album. Which wine and album would you choose to keep you company?
HB: Normally I'd say Burgundy, but let’s go in a different direction. Honestly, same area, though. I'd probably pick some kind of cru Beaujolais. I don't think I have one specific bottle. They change so much every year and they're like kids, I can't pick which one's my favorite!
And then an album? That's really hard!
This is going to be so boring, but I'd probably pick Safe Place by the Album Leaf. It makes me feel really calm and I like to listen to it when I travel. So if I'm just going to be chilling on an island I probably need to feel calm.
That might be the wrong answer. I might need a party mix instead, but that's what I'm feeling in this moment!
Wildman Wine’s
Astro Bunny Pét-Nat 2022
Holly’s Picks | Wine 11
Wildman is famous because of how fun the wines are and their crazy color. They stay popular because they are so full of flavor and embody the best of what hype juice in natural wine is.
Odesza always gets me with their powerful chorus. They just give me an immediate mood boost and this song feels like a bit of a blast off then calm landing with every refrain.
“It's kind of annoying that we have to call it natural wine. It should just be wine.”
MF: To close things out, can you sum up your wine and music pairing vibe in just three words?
HB: High. Low. And something in between. Everything in between? High, low, and middle!
One of the most loved easy drinking, pretty reds in the US for good reason. It feels like Valentine’s day with how fruity and floral it is. This entire line from them is great but the red is my favorite because it is so versatile, put it with food, put it in the fridge, drink it by itself, it all works.
Broc Cellars’
Love Red 2021
Holly’s Picks | Wine 12
They call Rudimental drum and bass band music, which I’d never heard of but feels fitting and is so much fun. It’s one of those songs where you can’t not move and bob your head. Does it have a horn in it? Of course, I am a sucker for that.
◆◆◆
Thanks for Reading
Explore more from your favorite wine or listen to Holly’s full playlist below
