Vandal Gonzo Combat Rouge 2020
Vandal Wines was set up by three unnamed, masked Marlborough winemakers as an escape from the restrictions of their day jobs. Field blend from a single vineyard in the Southern Valleys of Marlborough. 50% whole cluster fermentation Only hand plunged once during fermentation. Small batch pressed. 6 months aging on full yeast lees. Natural (wild) fermentations (Alcohol and 100% malo lactic fermentation). Unfined and unfiltered. Supple and cloudy with nice sweet, alluring, spicy raspberry and cherry fruit. No sulphites until bottling. There’s a juicy, grippy edge to the fruit with some nice spicy hints.
ORGANIC / NATURAL
Vandal Gonzo Militia Blend 2021
Vandal Wines was set up by three unnamed, masked Marlborough winemakers as an escape from the restrictions of their day jobs. The Gonzo Militia is a field blend, picked together on the same day and vinified together. The blend is unusual to say the least 20% Viognier, 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Gris, 15% Riesling, 15% Syrah, 5% Chardonnay, 2.5% Tempranillo and 2.5% Muscat, sourced from a single site in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys region. After pressing 50% is macerated on its skins for 24 hours, the whole is fermented in neutral French oak barrels using the natural yeasts and undergoes malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 6 months on its lees with battonage, lees stirring, before bottling un-fined and un-filtered. The wine has delicate pink hue to its golden colour with a slight haze due to the lack of fining and filtration. The flavour is wild with a creamy mouth full of peach, plums with lemony, green apple acidity and nutty notes from the casks. A complex and fascinating break from the norm.
ORGANIC / NATURAL
Vandal Pet Bat 2020
Vandal Wines was set up by three unnamed, masked Marlborough winemakers as an escape from the restrictions of their day jobs. Hand harvested Muscat 50% and Chardonnay 50%. Fruit was sourced from a 30 year old single vineyard in the Southern Valleys of Marlborough. Grapes were gently pressed and co-fermented ‘wild’ in seasoned French barriques at ambient temperatures with high solids. At 10 g/l residual the wine was bottled to capture natural effervescence. Harmless yeast sediment remain.