Wildman Wines
Astro Bunny Pet-Nat 2022
South Australia
Tim Wildman is a British-born Master of Wine who runs his own portfolio wine business involving travel, education and film. It was time spent traveling that gave Tim the idea of making wine, and more importantly pét-nat, because he wanted to pick the grapes, make the wine and bottle the wine, all while on a month long trip down under. He also produced pét-nat because a number of producers of whom Tim holds in the highest regard were concerned about the growth of these new “somm” driven wines with rented equipment, purchased grapes and made up labels. Tim loves free market enterprise but respected these growers/producers with 100+ year business plans and didn’t want to compete against them…hence pét-nat.
Vineyard
Astro Bunny is the flagship wine from Wildman Wines. The style evokes a freewheeling spirit and energy backed by serious winemaking know-how. The whites were picked early to retain acidity and obtain lower alcohol levels. The Zibibbo was given 24 hours pre-ferment skin contact to extract greater aromatics, the Nero was taken from the press after just a few hours to provide color, then co-fermented with the Grüner, Verdejo and Vermentino. Interestingly the wine always goes into bottle a bright candy pink color which transforms into the classic peachy orange over winter, a result of not using any sulphur so the brighter red and pink color compounds fall out of solution. The wine is bottled at approximately 12 g/L residual sugar and completes its fermentation in the bottle over the winter becoming fully dry and resulting in a final pressure of around 3 bar, producing a gentle foam rather than an aggressive fizz.
Winemaking
Armadio Vineyard, Adelaide Hills (Vermentino) – Gums & Roses Vineyard, Riverland (Zibibbo) – Bassham Organic Vineyard, Riverland (Grüner Veltliner, Verdejo) – Sue Trott Wilpena Vineyard, McLaren Vale (Nero d’Avola), Gravel loam over clay (Adelaide Hills) – Red sand over terra rossa limestone (Riverland) – Ancient beach sand over clay (McLaren Vale)
Tasting Note
A pale hazy carrot juice orange color with explosive aromas of spice, white pepper and cut lime. The bubbles are soft, frothy and foamy with smashable watermelon wetness providing great gluggability.
Food Pairing
A very cool season and the latest harvest since 2011. A cool, relatively dry autumn furnished long ripening, upholding natural acidity.
Color
White
Appellation
South Australia
Farming
Sustainable
Trade Materials
