(2024) Made by British-born Tim Wildman MW, a Pét-Nat that's 43% Arneis, 23% Zibibbo (Muscat), 21% Nero d'Avola and 13% Fiano. It is 'Brut Nature' with zero dosage, bottled under crown-cap and only moderately sparkling compared to a full spumante style. Sweet peach and confectionery notes join bitter orange and a yeasty creaminess on the nose. In the mouth it has an almost Negroni-like phalanx of bittersweet flavours, carried on a foamy mousse that subsides quite quickly to leave this textured and racy. Pert mid-palate fruitiness, then the finish has grown-up notes of bitter almond and quinine. Intriguing, refreshing and different.
(2023) From a biodynamic estate in the Languedoc where owner/winemaker Bertie Eden plies his trade, this is 100% Muscat made in contact with skins and pips. The Muscat aromatics are all present and correct here, florals and peach, but with an added dimension of something stony and herbal too. Sweet and ripe Muscat fruit on the palate, but the wine is bone dry, a hint of seeds and nuts with that pithy citrus acid that gives this some bite and good freshness.
(2023) A blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Welschriesling, this undergoes spontaneous fermentation and is made with minimal sulphur. Dazzling stuff: likey, juicy and floral, it's aromatically bright and buoyant. Is there a hint of the lightest spritz on the palate? Possibly it's just the sherbetty exuberance of the sliced Asian pear and citrus that flows through a dry, shimmering finish. A delight.
(2023) Within Europe, the term Prosecco may not be used for wines made outside of a designated region in Italy. A vintage release in what was a very good year from this specialist Australian Prosecco producer. A savoury single vineyard production with strong citrus and apple notes with hints of peach and orange peel. Refreshing acidity and some complexity with good length. (GD)
(2022) A brand new product, not yet in the UK at time of review, this is a semi-sparkling wine closed with a crown cap and sold undisgorged (and therefore lightly cloudy) in the col fondo or 'pet nat' style. It pours a pale, cloudy gold but immediately has interest with aromas of apricot and yeast, some fine pear and apple too, suggesting a dry character. It is indeed dry in the mouth, the gentle effervesence adding to the volume on the palate, that yeasty, slightly wheat-beer character set against very nice fruit and balanced acidity. Most enjoyable. Should sell for around the same price as the Fagher (£16 at time of review).
(2021) Firstly, a warning: in my bottle, and every bottle opened by the 12 tasters present, the deep red wine erupted explosively when opened, losing a quarter of the bottle - unfortunately over my oatmeal-coloured carpet. Whilst it may have been an amusing Zoom moment to see me and 11 luminaries including MWs and learned senior colleagues dripping in still fermenting juice, it really is a serious problem that for me makes this wine - based on this experience - impossible to recommend. It is made from Criolla Grande, fermented with natural yeasts under its crown-capped bottle, the Carbon dioxide of in-bottle fermenation captured and the wine sold undisgorged. There's an inky, plummy character, a touch of coal dust on the nose. On the palate there is a firm, bittersweet cherry fruit, some sweetness just to add a softening touch, but it is a relatively high-acid red style, reminding me a little of some sparkling red Vinho Verde made from Vinhão. What a shame there's an obvious defect in how this batch at least, was brought to market. No UK retail listing at time of review.
(2020) I really enjoyed this cloudy, unfiltered gently sparkling wine, made in steel tanks with wild yeast, it ends up very dry with around 3G/l sugar. Straw to pale yellow, lovely lemony fruit, spicy with a peppery note, there is biscuit from the lees ageing. Bursts with bright lemon fruit, so much vivacious, ripe pear fruit, mouthfilling sweetness of fruit, and the dry, yeast and lightly nutty finish.
(2020) Quite a deep yellow/emerald colour, a touch of that yeasty, wheat beer character also citrus peel. On the palate, nectarine, or rather the skins of nectarines and peaches, so much grapefruity tang to this, bone dry and pithy in the finish.
(2020) Originally made as a proportion of the fruit destined for the Green Glow bottling. Skin contact, made in old wood. Yeasty, more wild than Green Glow, with herb and vegetal notes that are intriguing, the lemon rind and full peachy, ripe juicy pear fruit, finishing with great clarity. The 'Minus 220' refers to the fact this has no added sulphur, AKA 'Preservative 220'.
(2020) Skin fermented, a lovely rose gold colour. Seven days on skins which is less than normal, but first time this wine has been made since 2016, as you need perfect fruit to do skin contact. Briary and lightly earthy, toffee, tobacco, seeds and nuttiness, with such a lovely blast of fruit, peach kernels and pithy orange. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.
