Introducing our first ever wine. A challenge to make, but a favourite style of ours, we thought we’d kick things of with a bang and make a Shiraz Pet Nat.

We sourced our fruit from Broken View Estate in Rothbury, a vineyard which lies in the gentle rolling hills of the Hunter Valley. Finding this fruit was a happy accident and if we hadn’t taken it, it was going to go to waste and just be left on the vine. After handpicking with the help of family and friends, the fruit received 12 hours skin contact before it was basket pressed directly into stainless steel. The fermentation was spontaneous and to ensure a successful start, we hand picked a couple of kilos a few days prior and created a pied de cuve. This is essentially the winemaking equivalent of a sourdough starter.

Before fermentation had finished, we bottled our wine under crown. The translation of pétillant naturel is “naturally sparkling,” so-called because the bottle fermentation completes naturally without an addition of sugar and yeast. We then disgorged our wines over the course of a few weeks almost one year later.

We added no sulphur or preservative to the wine. We don’t use finings or filtration.

Frizzante with notes of red licorice, red currants and red cherry, it pairs well with charcuterie, grilled eggplant, blue cheese or pizza.

Serve chilled, with good friends and good food. Be kind, it’s our very first wine.