About Muri
Emerging from Denmark’s dynamic gastronomy scene, Muri stands as a testament to the country’s relentless food and beverage innovation. In Copenhagen last summer, I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Muri’s production facility and meet Ioakeim Goulidis, their Head of Research and Development. A food scientist and chef, Ioakeim embodies the spirit of Denmark’s culinary revolution. What drew him to this space? “There’s no limitation on what we can do.” Don’t you love that?
At Muri, the team doesn’t seek to create wine alternatives or even remotely familiar beverages. “We used to call ourselves wine alternatives, but the term just sounds so sad and didn’t do justice to the amount of craft and innovation we were putting into each bottle,” explained founder Murray Paterson in our interview. Instead, they craft complex blends typically inspired by an unusual ingredient (e.g., pickled pine cones). They’ll sometimes spend weeks identifying one key ingredient (e.g., smoked rhubarb).
About Yamilé
That smoked rhubarb is what makes my favorite blend, Yamilé, so special. It’s a central flavor that somehow doesn’t overpower the crisper raspberry and gooseberry notes. Muri calls Yamilé “aromatic, funky, and smoky.” I’d say that’s spot-on, with an emphasis on funky. It’s not for everyone, but that’s precisely why I love it. It takes a stand. If you’re partial to smokiness—and you have a more adventurous palate—this one is definitely worth a try.
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Victoria Watters is Co-Founder of Dry Atlas, a media company dedicated to alcohol alternatives. She writes a weekly newsletter full of non-alcoholic beverage news, insights, and recs.
