Food Festivals

Inaugural natural wine fair is headed to Boston

Femme Fête is the brainchild of Haley Fortier, who runs two acclaimed natural wine bars in Boston.

By Katelyn Umholtz

2 minutes to read

The owner of Haley.henry and Nathalie, two acclaimed natural wine bars in Boston, is bringing together nearly 100 natural wines from all over the globe for hours of sipping and educating at an inaugural wine fair.

Femme Fête is Haley Fortier’s response to years spent at similar natural wine fairs in New York and Montreal, and the frustration of there not being one in Boston despite its growing natural wine scene. 

“I don’t know why we don’t have this caliber of a wine fair in Boston because we have the culture and diversity, and we have the food and wine scene,” Fortier said. “We have a lot of people in the city doing pretty incredible things.”

So this February, Fortier is bringing Boston’s version of those natural wine fairs, like Raw Wine, to the Boston Center for the Arts at Cyclorama in hopes that it becomes an annual event. 

Advertisement:

Here’s what’s in store. It’s not just wine, not even just natural wine, but Femme Fête is made up of wine from small, independent women winemakers. Fortier said 45 winemakers will be at the event, as well as 15 importers bringing vino from women winemakers and from all over the world — wine from New England, Michigan, the West Coast, and Europe. 

In total, Fortier estimated that around 100 wines will be represented. 

A ticket of $60 buys you five hours of tasting wines in a commemorative glass you get at the door. But Fortier stressed that this event isn’t just for wine connoisseurs. 

Advertisement:

Who she hopes shows up are the people who like wine but aren’t well-versed in wine regions or always know how to describe a glass they’re drinking. Don’t know terms like “minerality” or Pet Nat? Never heard a wine described as “funky” before? Not a problem.

“Wine is put on this pedestal,” Fortier said. “Sometimes it’s very standoffish for people, even myself. I want it to be easy, and this wine fair will hopefully feel like that to people because we’ve spent a lot of time trying to make it very accessible.” 

Attendees can also attend two 45-minute panels at the event. One is all about Boston’s wine scene and where it’s headed, featuring Alicia Towns Franken (co-founder of Towns Wine Co. and formerly the wine director at Grill 23 & Bar), Cat Silirie (wine director for The Grafton Group), Kate Gilarde (managing partner of O Ya), and Hannah Carroll (wine director for Shy Bird). 

The second panel features wine journalists and winemakers from both coasts. 

Food is also available for purchase at the event from Dumpling Daughter, Formaggio Kitchen, Push for Joy, and Lady Shuckers.

Advertisement:

And in case you want to keep the party going with these winemakers, there’s an after party at Shore Leave — no ticket is required.

Event details: Saturday, Feb. 28, from noon to 5 p.m.; After party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

539 Tremont St., South End (Main event at Cyclorama); 11 William E. Mullins Way, South End (Shore Leave after party)

Profile image for Katelyn Umholtz

Katelyn Umholtz

Food and Restaurant Reporter

Katelyn Umholtz covers food and restaurants for Boston.com. Katelyn is also the author of The Dish, a weekly food newsletter.

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile