Stats
- Grapes: 56% Sémillon - 37% Merlot - 7% Muscat
- Vineyard: Gant & Co. estate vineyard in Karridale
- Vine Age: 24-years-old
- Soil Type: Clay loam
- Viticulture: Regenerative & dry-farmed
- Fermentation: Native — 100% whole-cluster co-ferment in picking bins
- Skin Contact: 6 days
- Aging: 4 months in old French oak demi-muid sur lie
- Alcohol: 11.5%
- pH: 3.4
- Total Acidity: 6.1 g/L
- Total SO2: 49 ppm
- Total Production: 125 cases
- UPC: None
Tasting Notes
A crunchy, delicious light red. Tart red fruit aromas jump from the glass, and on the palate, are joined with an herbal savoriness. The acidity is crisp and inviting, and the tannins are chalky. Beautiful, bright stuff.
Press & Reviews
Wine Advocate
91
"Wild. The 2021 Nouveau is made with fruit from the cool south—a.k.a. Karridale. It's a blend of 60% Semillon (Block 6), 35% Merlot (Block 3B) and 5% Muscat (Block 14) that was spur pruned, leaf plucked and handpicked, co-fermented with whole bunches and spent four months sur lie in demi-muid. 12% alcohol. Sémillon in Margaret River expresses with a distinct green lawn clipping, green jalapeño character that, once seen, cannot be unseen. So, in this wine, the nose leads with these spicy green characters, followed by a plump, yet lean mid-palate (an interesting juxtaposition of acid and flavor), with flowers and black tea to close. This is wholly unexpected in the context of this lineup being tasted today—and leaning heavily into the chilled-red category. I'm really a fan of the texture and the crunchy line that this treads." - Erin Larkin
Jancis Robinson
16.5
"Spur-pruned. Leaf-plucked. 58% Sémillon (Block 6), 38% Merlot (Block 3B), 4% Muscat (Block 14). 100% whole-bunch co-fermented. Four months sur lie in demi-muid. What Gant describes as “our version of a palhete”, the light Portuguese red that is a mix of red and white grapes. Light cherry red, more like a deep rosé. The first impression is red fruit, mostly pretty, sweet/sour cherry, but I wonder if I am led in that direction by the colour? There’s also fresh citrus and a light herbal note (the whole-bunch component, perhaps) but the aroma is quite hard to describe, as if the co-fermentation had fully blended the varieties to be hard to disentangle in the aroma or flavour. On the palate, exceptionally high acidity, which might be challenging for anyone who is not an acid freak. Not without fruit but pretty lean, the whole bunch adding a further stemmy freshness. Needs food to calm it down a bit. Highly stylised wine that is probably the tipple of hip somms. Bone dry, surprisingly moreish (but then I am an acid lover). The tannins are extremely fine but build to a more chewy impression on the 2nd and 3rd sips. Very unusual and unusually delicious. A wine for pure pleasure but not for hedonists."
Wine Anorak
92
"An unusual blend of Semillon, Merlot and Muscat: Matt’s version of a palhete. 58% Semillon (Block 6), 38% Merlot (Block 3B), 4% Muscat (Block 14). 100% whole bunch co-ferment. 4 months sur lie in demi-muid. Rose and hibiscus floral notes with some crunchy pomegranate and cherry fruit, rather biting on the finish, and even some notes of turmeric. So interesting and vital with red fruits and juicy acidity. A hybrid red and white with an oriental-style spicy twist."
- Jamie Goode
- Jamie Goode