Tag: Pet Nat

RAW Wine Fair

The RAW Wine Fair returned to London earlier this month for a two day event featuring over 160 producers of organic or biodynamic wines. These are minimum intervention wines which are truly authentic and have a real sense of place. Speakers Corner featured a number of talks and tastings led by the producers themselves or industry experts. For a break from the hustle and bustle of the main tasting room I was lucky to attend Understanding Bubbles, a tasting of six sparkling wines led by Patrick Schmitt MW. It was a lovely opportunity to compare such very different wines and the quality was very high indeed.

Ancre Hill. Triomphe. Pet Nat. Ancre Hill is a family owned vineyard in Monmouthshire, South Wales. Vines were first plated here in 2006 and they now have 12 hectares.The estate has been fully biodynamic since 2010 and was given certification in 2014. Triomphe is a variety which is able to ripen even in cool summers so may well be thought to be highly suited to the climate in the UK. A wild ferment and without fining or filtration this wine is ruby red in appearance with a slight haze and an intense nose of red fruits. I have never been a fan of red sparking wines finding them too aggressive on the palate but this is rather pleasant, the lower pressure in the bottles gives a wine which is gently sparkling on the palate and much the better for it.

Cantina Furlani. Surlie. Alpino. Alto Adige. 2017. From vineyards at a height of 700m close to the city of Trento in Northern Italy. Produced with a wild ferment, unfined, unfiltered and with no added sulphites. Lovely aroma of pear and green apple, barely sparking with touch of sweetness. This is a very drinkable wine and I wish I had another glass.

Champagne. Franck Pascal. Fluence. 2012. Made from Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier it has the faintest of pink tinge when held to the light. It’s toasty, lemony and nutty with a great finish. This is really excellent stuff, a standout wine.

Agricola Alessandra Divella. Blanc des Blancs. Franciacorta. 2015. Made from 100% Chardonnay and vinified in old oak this is a very fine, elegant wine. It’s toasty and with nice body and lovely texture. Serious stuff. Excellent.

Meinklang. Foam White. Burgenland. Austria. 2017. An orange pet nat made from Pinot Gris, unfined, unfiltered and with no added sulphites. Orange in appearance and the nose is quite aromatic, there are stone fruits, candied peel and a touch of residual sweetness. For me this is a wine that is probably best enjoyed along with some food.

Swik Wines. The Beav. 2018. A natural pet nat from the Pacific Northwest of the United States. A rather bonkers mix of 50% Cinsault, 40% Gewurtztraminer and 10% Riesling. Macerated on skins for two weeks and a wild ferment in stainless steel without any fining or filtration has produced a wine which is a light orange, salmon colour with a slight haze. A really interesting wine and I mean that in good way. Floral, perfumed and with nice texture, this is a wine that invites you to have another glass because it is just a little bit different and there is nothing wrong with that.

Yetti & the Kokonut

In the depths of winter, it’s rather cold and snowing lightly as I type, its good to come across wines that bring a smile to your face and remind you of the heady days of summer. Such are the wines from Yetti & the Kokonut, the nicknames of founders David Geyer and Koen Janssens, who are creating innovative, characterful and beautiful textured wines from the warmth of South Australia. Their philosophy couldn’t be simpler, great wines begin in the vineyard and couple this with respectful treatment in the winery and you are going to make wines that people will enjoy and come back for more. David and Koen began their business in 2015 and it’s is still very much in its infancy but the wines they are producing are growing up quickly. From this tasting the 2018s are looking very good and are well worth investigating.

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover or a wine by its label but you can’t help but admire the labels on these wines. Colourful, humorous and giving every indication that the wine here is worth your time.

Pet Nat.   A blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. There is a gentle aroma of tarragon about this wine which has a gentle mousse and lovely texture. The acidity is held in check here and the bottle fermentation gives a roundness which makes it very drinkable indeed. As it opens a little in glass there are further hints of almonds and apple.

  • Pet Nat
  • Fruit Basket

Fruit Basket 2018. From a 95 year old block in the Eden Valley which contains 13 different grape varieties. Destemmed and then with five days skin contact. Aged in a large wooden vat with a small percentage in small barrels. This is a fruit salad in a glass. You name it it’s here apple, pear, melon. peach, pineapple, elderflower etc. It reveals something different with each mouthful. Cooling, refreshing and very drinkable. What’s not to like!

Savignan. 2018. From the Adelaide Hills and coming in at only 10.4% alcohol, this is a wine for drinking in the sun or to remind you of sunnier days. Aromas of lemon, pear and an almond nuttiness. The palate is dry with nice texture, balance and a lovely lemony finish. Delightful.

  • Savagnin
  • Mount Savagnin

Mount Savagnin 2018. Savagnin this time from the McLaren Vale. Grapes had a five day cold soak before pressing. Medium bodied and with nice concentration and texture. Lemon with stone fruit and a touch of tropical fruit. The finish is long.

El Doradillo 2018. The Doradillo grape originates from Spain can mainly be found in the Riverland region of South Australia. This example originates from the Southern Barossa and is delightful. An element of skin contact has produced a wine which bursts with stone fruits and a gentle hint of peppery spice. Low in alcohol and with lovely texture.

  • El Doradillo
  • B’Rose

B’Rose 2018. 70% Gewurtztraminer, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Grenache. A higher proportion of Gewurtztraminer than in the previous vintage and it shows. The palate here is red fruit with delicate rose petal and a touch of spice. A serious rosé but easy to drink and with real character. On first tasting the nose was very much of burnt match but this dissipates with aeration and did not spoil the overall wine.