2021 Lucy M Cinquante Nuances de Gris

VARIETAL: Pinot Gris
REGION: Basket Range, Adelaide Hills, SA
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic
WINEMAKER: Anton Von Klopper

The pinot gris is from Robert Surmann’s vineyard in Totness with 30 y/o vines grown on Black Sandy soil overlying petrified schist, it is V.S.P. Trained and spur pruned. Whole branches of pinot gris placed in 800L tinaja ceramic fermentors and then topped with free-run juice until the fermenter is full. The fermenter is sealed and the wine undergoes carbonic ferment and is aged for 6 months on skins. The wine is then pressed in winter and assembled. Copper coloured sensual lava lamp shines in the glass. The uncomfortable excitement of structured chaos envelopes, tangerine, ambergris, myrrh….intoxicating.

"The 2021 vintage was really good for us. It started with a wet spring which also benefited our new plantings of Trousseau, Grenache Blanc, Gamay, Garganega, Sangiovese….. (a mixed bag) with sunny windless days around flowering which led to good fruit set.. This was followed by a cool summer which keep the vines calm with even slow ripening. Thank you for your kindness Demeter for the bountiful harvest."

"We are proud of being among the first natural winemakers in Australia with the first vintage in 2007 and now to have achieved making wines that are chemical free. But our commitment to human health has led us to trying to make wines with lowers alcohols by picking early and changing of winemaking techniques because we feel that a wine at 11.5-12% or lower is better for you and more enjoyable socially. In the last couple of years we have worked on reducing VA, mousiness and lacticobacillis fermentation in bottle, common challenges in making natural wine. Making natural wines that are sound is an art and a skill but there is no better wine to drink!"