Christopher Moorby is a graphic designer who hails from Yorkshire and has been living and working in London for over 15 years. He runs his own design studio Commission Studio with fellow designer David McFarline. As a studio the pair have worked with a diverse range of clients spanning fashion, music, and commerce, including Oi Polloi, Alpha Shadows, Lex Records, Music From Memory, Rimowa, and Fenty. Christopher is obsessed with clothing, into outdoor pursuits, loves music, and in recent years is a developing oenophile (novice hobbyist level).
My journey into the cosmic fruits of biodynamic viticulture has been - pun intended - organic. Years ago I started going to dinner regularly with a mate who was into it and he’d push me in to more adventurous territory on the wine list each time. We’d often end up with Austrian wines as his homage to Rudolf Steiner (the early 1900s Austrian Spiritual Scientist, Clairvoyant (yep), and forefather of biodynamic farming).
The wines were generally rougher than I’d been used to drinking, but I liked that they had more compartmentalised traits. My palate isn’t that sophisticated and experiencing natural wines is almost like going back to basics as flavours are easier to distinguish.
The thing that really hooked me though was the labels (I’m a graphic designer…) and the stories of the growers (…who works in branding). I’d hear about growers obsessed with lunar cycles and worshipping soil, using nature to treat nature by burying cow horns filled with manure before it was ready to use. I loved the idea of the extreme dedication to natural practices - peaceful and cosmic, but seemingly only a few steps away from wicker effigies and the Cuckoo Song.
Then there’s the labels. Often designed without skills, but dragged into existence though sheer good taste. It leads to a much more interesting aesthetic - a folky outsider art vibe where kids can design wine labels, graphic design rules don’t exist, and words aren’t always needed as pictures or colours will do the job. There’s no pretentiousness here. It’s honest and joyful design that isn’t bound by the usual codes of its umbrella industry.
With these indicators you can generally spot the good stuff a mile away and I’ve rarely been let down when shopping by eye. I’m looking for labels with paintings, crayons, ink and collage or basic graphics and type. I’ve included a few favourites here, not just because of the labels, but because they’re also favourite wines.
Recommendations:
I’m lucky enough to work near some great suppliers in London and the best dedicated one I’ve found is Natural Born Wines in Dulwich. They serve up the rawest of the raw from small batch suppliers. Cidery Skin-contact wines, cloudy dry whites, buzzing reds, and farmy co ferments.
Through convenience I often go to a place called Bambuni in Nunhead as the owner Toby is a great guide to the world of natural wines and has some great stock. There’s definitely more of a community spirit when you’re in natural wine territory and people welcome questions and are generous with advice.
Drinking out and about in London, I’d recommend Noble Rot, Terriors, 10 Cases, and Duck Soup for great selections – the latter being my favourite.
