La Violetta 'Patio Nat' 2024

Vintage: 2024

Tasting notes: Fresh, bright and irresistibly drinkable. It pours a pretty, pale pink with a gentle, fine froth. Expect all the floral, grapey delight you want from Muscat - rose petals, orange blossom - plus a lick of mandarin pith citrus and a subtle, savoury complexity from barrel ferment. There’s gentle texture from mineral phenolics, balanced sweetness of fruit, and a clean, dry finish. Perfectly chilled on the patio, it’s the ultimate laidback sparkling.

Winemaker’s notes: This is our eighth release from this unique single site of black-skinned Muscat in the Ferguson Valley. Making it is always a bit of a love letter to the variety’s soul - taking me back to autumn days shovelling moscato skins in the Alta Langa, but with our own laidback, dodge-the-emus-on-the-gravel-road Aussie spin.

2024 threw us a curveball with an early season - everything ripened 3-4 weeks ahead of usual, so we scrambled to pick in the cool of the night to lock in natural acidity. Grapes came in at a near-perfect 13°C. After 20 hours of skin contact for colour and aromatics, it was pressed to tank and old puncheons for a slow, wild eight-week ferment. Bottled without fining or filtration, sealing in the last fizz of fermentation. Careful work with the sugar level this year means minimal sediment and a soft, easy-going sparkle - no disgorging needed. Hurrah!

We always add a splash (about 7%) of Great Southern Riesling for citrus focus and extra zip on the finish. Wild yeast, slow ferment, and pure site expression deliver pristine aromatics and a refreshingly dry, textural palate.

Out on the patio we sip, baby.