Little Reddie PAT NAT NV

'A' Block, Willoughby Bridge vineyard, Colbinabbin, Heathcote G.I 

A delicate, multiple-vintage Blanc de Noir made from a singular block of Nebbiolo with zero additions.

The colour, straw - faintly coppered, is quite beautiful and captivating. 
Sherbet, hay, preserved lemon, barley, and subtle honey and dried flower aromas. The spritz is light. The wine flows in a lovely way across the palate. Pithy, nervous acidity plays with soft lemon fruit. The red fruits are a faint silhouette of their younger selves. Great length and ease. A beautiful, softly spoken wine.

Vineyard

A Block Nebbiolo plantings at the Willoughby Bridge vineyard in Colbinabbin. These plantings sit on the western edge of the property, at the highest point this vineyard reaches up Camelback Ridge. The soils have the highest concentration of rusted iron in these rows and seem to be much finer and clay-rich to my eye compared to the loamy soils further down the hill. The block has a very unusual ripening trajectory, with beautiful flavours developing very early in the season when sugars and acids are perfect to produce distinct sparkling.

Winemaking

This release sees 2021 wine held in cask for 12 months, blended with 2022 fermenting must. Harvest for both years occurs with early flavour ripeness, low sugars, and bright acidity. Whole bunches are pressed very patiently to retain acidity and line while avoiding excessive tannin in the juice. Fermentations are wild, without addition, in old barrels. Some temperature control is employed to temper and extend the fermentation. Air was introduced to the wines to encourage healthy yeast populations. The 2021 reserve wine was progressively blended into the 2022 ferments. A final blend was made to achieve 16 grams of sugar immediately prior to bottling on the 7th of March 2022.
The wine fermented happily to dryness in the following weeks and remained on wild fermentation lees for 25 months, disgorged by hand, à la volée, June/July 2024. The wine is non-dosage. No sulphur or other additions were used throughout.