2022 Yetti and the Kokonut Hipster Juice Verdelho
WINEMAKER: Dave Geyer & Koen Janssens
REGION: McLaren Vale, SA
VARIETY: Verdelho
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic
"This is an epic little plot in McLaren Vale, rows orientated East-West but on a slope graded high from North to South, lending itself to a touch less exposure. Straddling a dry winter creek, the soil is deepest in the middle with gravelly alluvial sands leading into more ironstone and clay on the slopes. The vineyard is alive with a good biodiversity of life, being BD certified the vines have an inbuilt tolerance to many of the issues associated with farming in this area.
Verdelho was handpicked early ahead of the heat of harvest and fight through the dense canopies of Vale vineyards. In 2022 we split the grapes into two parcels, one a semi-carbonic of 50% whole bunch and 50% destemmed for increased extraction of both stem tannin & carbonic fruity aromatics. The other parcel was destemmed & kept on skins for 3 weeks, pumped over twice daily to increase skin tannins and allow savoury secondary flavours to develop. We treat this second parcel just like a big red wine that the Barossa is known for, but to reatain the elegance and acidity of a white. After both parcels have finished primary ferment, they are pressed into a large format foudre & a variety of small format oak, then aged for 18 months on full lees. The components are then blended into tank and allow to integrate there for 12 months before bottling." - Dave Geyer, Yetti + The Kokonut
Yetti And The Kokonut is the partnership between two friends, who also happen to be respected lo-fi leaning winemakers in their own right. David Geyer, of Barossa’s Geyer Wine Co. assumes the role of Yetti, along with vineyard management duties. Koen Janssens, the Belgian winemaking import/sommelier behind Bink Wines, also goes by the name of ‘Koko’ to his friends.
This is a collaboration born from friendship and an inquisitive spirit. They are purposefully colourful, juicy and lip-smacking – perfect to splash around with friends. Saying that, their expertise and knowledge of lo-fi winemaking techniques like skin-contact, ceramic egg and large format maturation mean there is plenty of interest and complexity to make it a thought-provoking quaff.