2021 Bryterlater Still Life
WINEMAKER: James Graves Opie
VARIETAL: Sauvignon Blanc
REGION: North Canterbury, NZ
VITICULTURE: Organic
Handpicked Sauvignon Blanc was wholebunch pressed for wild fermentation in old oak barrel where the resulting wine remained on lees for 10 months. Racked by gravity and settled. A small amount of lees re-introduced to the wine to build texture. Bottle aged for a further 9 months prior to release. Unfined & unfiltered. Salty af. Pineapple. Guava. Overripe Lemon/Lime. Brioche. Mouthwatering acidity. Texture.
Formerly of Valmont Wines, Bryterlater is the brainchild of James Graves Opie, a former sommelier turned winemaker originally from Victoria who now resides in North Canterbury, New Zealand - more specifically here, in the Waipara Valley.
"The concept for the label came to me whilst listening to 'Bryter Layter' by Nick Drake, winding through the Tasmanian countryside in my big ol' Volvo during harvest. The album is very ethereal & whimsical, it still transports me back to that place today. This is the feeling a wine can achieve with patience and poise, thus leaving the drinker feeling brighter and more content on imbibing...
"...Our vineyards in North Canterbury are farmed organically. Working with what different seasons and sites deliver each year guides our process. We use manual methods and work with small volumes. Our winemaking is about bottling something that is the truest statement of itself and the place it comes from - however long that takes. We focus on capturing the energy of the vineyard, work thoughtfully in the winery, and move with the vibration of the emerging wine, then release it when it’s ready."