Sommelier Maureen Sciutto, of Unfiltered Wine & Spirits, Shares How to Choose Organic Wine

According to sommelier Maureen Sciutto, finding a good wine doesn’t have to be intimidating; it should be approachable enough that even new wine enthusiasts feel confident and excited. That’s one of the driving values behind her Woodstock Unfiltered Wine & Spirits shop, which offers expertly curated selections from organic, biodynamic and small-producer wineries.

“We sell wines with no additives and little to no intervention, focusing on family growers and low-production vineyards,” she explains.

Maureen also has a personal reason for this emphasis.  “I’ve often joked that I’m the only sommelier on the planet who’s allergic to wine,” she laughs. “I had wine allergies for years until I eventually realized they weren’t exactly from the wine itself, it was the from the additives. So, when I had the opportunity to open a shop of my own, I felt it was important to offer options that tend to cause fewer reactions so I can help others find wines that they can enjoy, too. We want people to feel confident in asking about wine and to feel confident in the wines they choose.”

Read on to learn more about how wine lovers can find their new favorite vintage without getting red in the face – figuratively and literally – and to get Maureen’s perspective on everything from trending reds to what you should pack for a local picnic.

INSIDE+OUT: Are you finding that a lot of customers are exploring organic wines because they’ve experienced allergies and other reactions after drinking wine?

Maureen Sciutto: Yes, more and more people are asking questions about whether organic wines are better for their needs. Especially women who are affected by hormonal changes and suddenly can’t enjoy wine without having reactions. I’m really passionate about helping others find wines they can enjoy, and our customers trust me to make suggestions like red wine with lower tannins. In some cases, people come in and say they’ve felt like they couldn’t drink wine for years without breaking out or having a terrible headache, but now they can. I love helping people find their wine.

How did you make your way into the wine world?

I worked for a restaurant consulting company in the mid-2000s, and one day, they needed someone to teach wine classes. I worked in the restaurant industry since I was 14 and knew a little bit—enough to give a class. In doing so, I actually became more interested in the teaching aspect and still love to talk about wine.

It sounds like a natural progression to becoming a certified sommelier. Was that next?

Yes, a few years later.  Around 2009 I was working in a restaurant in Atlanta that had a great wine menu, and it really sparked my passion for food and wine pairing—I saw how magical it was. I got my sommelier certification there, which was life-changing for me. It’s what led to consulting and helping restaurants with their menus. For example, I started working at Silvia in Woodstock in 2018 and helped with their wine list over the years. Then they opened Good Night, which was also fun to make a wine list for; I spent a lot of time in their restaurant trying all the food and training staff—we all sat together to learn how to pair wines with meals.

How did you know when it was time to make the leap from hospitality to retail?

I had been in the industry for a long time but was starting a family and feeling a little stuck. At the same time, my sister was taking classes to become a life coach and needed to practice a workshop she created on “finding your professional passion.” So, I took her course and it changed everything. It helped me get out of my own way and realize my potential; that I needed to put myself out there into the world if I ever wanted a shop of my own. And then one day, I was sitting in a wine tasting along with one of the owners of SILVIA and casually mentioned that I wanted to open a wine store. He said, “I didn’t know you wanted to open a wine store. We should do it!”

And did you already know that Woodstock was the place to do it?

He found out about a space that was becoming available, and when we looked at it, it felt perfect. So then it became a mad dash to come up with a business plan because we had just had this idea, and then suddenly, the perfect location opened up. But we knew we had to come up with a shop that wasn’t like all the others and could provide its own type of value to the town, so we went with the concept of organic wine by small producers and mostly NYS spirits. We looked to the town residents to gauge their interest and got 500 signatures in support!

The shop has a distinct setup—wines categorized by importer. What prompted you to choose such a unique layout?

We are very importer-focused and intentionally set up the shop in that way. One reason is that we wanted to connect people more to production so they could understand exactly where the wine comes from. We shop that way for almost everything else—it’s like shopping by clothes designer. When there’s a designer you like, you explore more of that brand. Or, like film directors, Quentin Tarantino’s movies are very specific to his style, so if you like one, you’ll probably like his others. If you know more about wine production, you can generally branch out safely among the distributor’s other offerings with less risk. There’s too much wine out there to stick to just one.

It also encourages people to talk to us, which can break down the intimidation that many people feel when searching for wine. Our staff is highly knowledgeable and warm; we love helping and teaching.

What are some of your current top sellers—which wines are having a moment?

Chillable reds are a big seller. They started selling a lot last summer and never slowed down. People are also looking for lower-tannin reds. Skin contact wines and “Pet Nats” are big, as well.

Skin contact wines are what Sciutto prefers to call what’s commonly known as “orange” wines. They’re made with white wine grapes but through a process where the grape skins aren’t removed, as they would be during traditional white winemaking. A Pet Nat, short for Pétillant-Naturel, is a low-sugar, natural sparkling wine made through an age-old process during which the beverage is bottled before fermentation is finalized.

What are you personally enjoying at the moment?

I would say Cantina Furlani Mino Carbo, a light-bodied Italian red that can be chilled, and an Albariño, Bodegas Carballal’s Sete Cepas—a creamier, saltier, fuller white.

Any local wineries that have caught your attention lately?

There are many great ones; I’m a big fan of Benmarl, it’s also a beautiful place to visit. You can stand on their property and look down over the Hudson River from high above.

Have you noticed any general wine trends that are starting to pick up?

People are generally becoming more aware of ethical farming and business practices. For example, one of our importers reps a producer who offers shares in the winery to its employees.  And there’s an increased awareness about the benefits of organic food, so they’re thinking they’ll look into organic wine as well. With wine, producers can technically have up to 70 additives that don’t all need to be disclosed. So it’s cool that people are becoming more aware and having these conversations.    

Woodstock is a great place to have these conversations. Speaking of, let’s say someone pops in looking for a wine they could enjoy on a picnic in town. What would you suggest they pack in their basket?

Definitely an easy-drinking, chillable red. Then go to Sunflower to get some cheese, salami and crackers, and set up at a spot by the water to enjoy nature. There are tons of paths that lead to streams here and practically every corner offers a place to lay a blanket.

Any other hot spots in the region that you like to frequent when you’re not at the shop?

Of course, I’m partial to Silvia and Good Night, but many local places are quite good. I have little kids, so I don’t get much time to explore, but I will sometimes take the kids to Cucina or just venture out to the river in Saugerties.

How else can folks learn more about a wine or winery that might become their new favorite?

We also cater to off-site and in-home tastings and classes. In-home classes are fun. For instance, we’ll get someone who loves Sauvignon Blanc but wants to branch out, so we’ll teach about the wine and share tastings of similar styles. Everyone there can taste something new while learning. I love that I still get to do the teaching aspect.

📸 Photos by Sabrina Eberhard for INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY

A native of Saugerties, Maureen has a long background in the restaurant and wine business, with over 25 years working in Atlanta, Charlotte, and New York. She has been focused on wine since 2005, when she began leading beginner wine classes for restaurant staff. In 2013 she became a Certified Sommelier and began her formal career in food and wine pairing, buying wine, and curating wine lists. From there, her natural progression was to branch out into teaching, and has conducted formal educational tastings, food and wine dinners, and developed wine curricula.

In 2019 she moved back to Upstate New York where she has been the Sommelier at SILVIA and GoodNight in Woodstock. Soon after, she met her future partners who shared and supported her dream of opening a small boutique wine store with an adjacent tasting room.

83c Mill Hill Rd Woodstock, NY 12498
Tel. (845) 684-5886