"Amaya" 2023 Negroamaro Petillant Naturel, 2023

Vintage 2023 was the coldest, wettest and trickiest years we’ve faced. Endless rain on the east coast over the last few years came to roost with the Murray River flooding to the second highest levels in recorded history in the Riverland. Persistent rain through Spring and early summer meant not only was harvest delayed by several weeks as fruit ripened slowly, but disease pressures were high with winemaker and grape grower nerves being put to the test. Luckily a healthy vineyard and some warm sunshine in early autumn helped the fruit develop nicely, producing a suite of pretty, more subtle wines this year. Dark pink in the glass with heady bubbles, the nose leads you into that dark fruit zone – blackberry, boysenberry, with a touch of savoury herb – aniseed, fennel seed. On the mouth though, it’s all broad, mouth puckering acidity, fresh and piercing. Black cherry fruitiness really playing second fiddle to the bright crunch, the slightly bitter saltiness of marjoram/tarragon herb characters providing more length and interest. Just really yum and fun, but with layers of flavour that invite further thought.