2021 Château Acid Bianco

WINEMAKER: Charlie O'Brien & Simon Jones
REGION: Central Ranges, NSW
VARIETAL: Vermentino
VITICULTURE: Certified Organic/Biodynamic

"This is the first wine we ever made in 2017 and we've made it every year since, always using the same method and the same 200L Greek amphorae we bought back then. Looking back at the last 5 vintages of this wine, it's the most consistent and unique wine we have, it's so simple that it literally makes itself, always presenting dry, structured and full of citrus and apricots. Sticking to the tradition, it's amphora-aged, skin-contact, 100% Vermentino; though wine has a little less orange colour than in previous years (the cooler wetter season giving a larger canopy and less golden sunburned berries). Despite the paler colour, this year it's made up for in spades with mouthfeel, acidity and perfume.

For a refresher on the vineyard, the fruit comes from Canowindra, in the Central Ranges region of NSW, around 4 hours west of Sydney and around an hour from Orange. The vineyard is at around 450M in elevation with soils of sandy decomposed granite. It has been certified organic since planting in 1997 and is also biodynamically farmed. Vermentino is well suited to the hot, dry climate like that of central west NSW (and it's native Sardinia, also sandy granite) so it retains its tension and natural acidity which is always a celebrated characteristic of our Bianco.

Destemmed to tank, daily hand punchdowns for a week or so before being transferred to clay, where it rests with skins for 3 months. At this point it's basket pressed back to amphora for another 8 months (11 months total). Over the duration of the élevage, the wine is untopped and receives no additions, but stabilises itself under a thick veil of flor yeasts, giving it excellent resistance to oxygen during and after bottling." - Charlie & Simon

Charlie and Simon started Château Acid in 2017 with a tiny run of 650 bottles. Lucky for us, they make a little more now. Zero adds natty from the Central Ranges. Always on point. We're big fans.