In 2022 we expanded our export markets from seven to eighteen.
HELLO South Korea, Norway, Sweden, Ontario, British Colombia, Québec, Ireland, Taiwan, Philippines, New Zealand and UAE
After nine years Astro Bunny and Piggy Pop finally got their own dedicated Instagram page at Wildman Wine
I also wrote an article for my UK importer on why I’m hopelessly devoted to pét-nat. Read it here.
Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Riverland – South Australia
Vermentino 28%, Grüner Veltliner 20%, Verdejo 10%, Zibibbo 23%, Nero d’Avola 19%
“A cult classic of the minimal intervention scene” – @LoveTillyDevine
“Utterly frivolous” – Jancis Robinson MW
HOW IT TASTES
We’ve spiced up the Bunny this year with the addition of some peppery Grüner and tangy Verdejo; it’s the same Astro Bunny you know and love, but with an added aromatic twist!
A pale hazy carrot juice orange colour with explosive aromas of spice, white pepper and cut lime. The bubbles are soft, frothy and foamy with the classic Astro Bunny flavours of peach and nectarine with a smashable watermelon wetness providing great gluggability. She’s fun! Chill down, shake well before opening, serving suggestion: beach or bus, two people, ten minutes.
HOW WE MADE IT
The 2022 vintage in South Australia was superb, with growing conditions close to the near perfect vintage of 2021 that preceded it. As is often the case in very good vintages, high quality came with equally good yields as the vines were happy and healthy. The whites were picked early to retain acidity and obtain lower alcohol levels, with the Grüner and Verdejo picked on February 17th and the Vermentino on 6th March. The Zibibbo was picked on March 11th and finally the Nero d’Avola came in on March 12th. 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 colour, then co-fermented with the Grüner, Verdejo and Vermentino. Interestingly the wine always goes into bottle a bright candy pink colour which transforms into the classic peachy orange over winter, a result of us not using any sulphur so the brighter red and pink colour 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. Wild yeast, no adds, no filtration, no fining, zero sulphur = 100% natural goodness.
12% ABV sugar 0.25 g/ L free S02 0.00 mg/l L. total SO2 4mg / L
pH 3.68 titratable acidity 4.36g/l L 16,440 bottles 400 magnums
Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Riverland – South Australia
Nero d’Avola 19% Mataro 29%, Lagrein 24%, Arneis 21%, Zibibbo 7%
HOW IT TASTES
Jewell bright dazzling cranberry juice pink, the aromas are a riot of cherries – red cherry, cherry pip, glacé cheery – all the cherries! The palate follows up with pomegranate, blood orange, spice and a savoury, amaro twist of raspberry salted liquorice on the finish. The bubble are persistent but soft and foamy and there’s a mouthwatering freshness from the snappy Nero acidity and the zippy, crisp Arneis. Serve cold, no need to shake before opening, pair with pizza, parks and sunsets.
HOW IT’S CHANGED
In 2022 we’ve doubled down on the stylistic experiment we carried out in 2021, to make the Piggy Pop a proper pink wine by adding up to 30% white grapes to the base of red fruit. This has two unique outcomes; first of all it allows us to press our gorgeous, fruity, juicy (and expensive!!) red grapes more than we used to, which essentially means we’re getting more fruit power, more “pop” from the Nero d’Avola, Mataro and – for the first time – Lagrein. Secondly, it produces a genuinely unique style and hue of rosé, like discovering a new colour in the rainbow that sits hidden somewhere between red, yellow and orange. Taken together, these two natural techniques provide us with more flavour and a dazzling and original colour. Our customers told us they liked it, a lot, in 2021 which has convinced us that this is the new way that the Piggy will be made.
HOW WE MADE IT
The 2022 vintage in South Australia was superb, with growing conditions close to the near perfect vintage of 2021 that preceded it. As is often the case in very good vintages, high quality came with equally good yields as the vines were happy and healthy. The Nero d’Avola and Mataro were hand harvested on 12h March, the Arneis on March 15th, the Zibibbo on March 11th and finally the Lagrein on April 1st. The Nero d’Avola and Mataro were fermented with around 50% whole bunch for twenty four hours before being pressed off skins to achieve a hazy, rose petal colour. The whites were partially fermented separately before being blended into the reds before bottling, not only does this add extra acidity and freshness but it also washes out some tannin without reducing the intense fruit flavours. By making the Piggy as a rosé blend of white grapes and red grapes we think we’ve given it even greater drinkability and a mouthwatering freshness. The wine is bottled at around 12 g/L residual sugar and completes its fermentation in the bottle resulting in a final pressure of around 3 bar, producing a gentle, frothy foam rather than an aggressive fizz. Wild yeast, no adds, no filtration, no fining, zero sulphur = 100% natural goodness.
13% ABV sugar 00.8 g/ L free S02 0.00 mg/ L total SO2 2mg / L
pH 3.53 titratable acidity 6.1 g/ L 15,996 bottles and 400 magnums