2021 The Hermit Ram 'Salty White' Amphora

New Zealand

This is certainly an atypical expression of kiwi Sauvignon Blanc (with a pinch of Müller-Thurgau bringing the florals). Sauvignon’s primary fruit aromatics are toned down. This wine is about texture as much as it is about taste, with gentle tannin and chalky freshness.  The fruit is 100% organic and partly direct pressed, partly fermented on skins and partly whole bunch fermented, all with wild yeast. Part of the wine is left untopped in barrel, developing a flor. It’s unfined and unfiltered.

North Canterbury’s limestone soils initially caught Theo Coles’ attention, and he has gained a serious following for the sophisticated, natural wines he makes there. With a background in ecology, organic practices focus around regeneration. Soils aren’t tilled to retain carbon, with inter-row planting balancing soil nutrients. The wines are made with minimal intervention, wild yeasts and gentle extraction.