Carte Sauvage 2023 | Mélange (Marlborough, NZ)

2021 Carte Sauvage is a  Co-fermented Field Blend on Skins (54% Viognier + 46% Gewurztraminer) from Raupo Vineyard, Southern Valleys, Marlborough. Gentle North West facing, close planted site sitting on clay-rich soils.
Raupo is organically & biodynamically farmed and is BioGro + Demeter Certified.

“Carte Sauvage” in French translates “wild card” or “joker.”

Hand harvested. Both the Viognier and Gewurztraminer were destemmed into a stainless steel fermenter before being given a gentle pigeage (foot stomp). Fruit underwent wild fermentation and was gently plunged by hand during this stage. On skins for a total of 28 days before being basket pressed into a seasoned French oak barrique and a small portion into a stainless steel tank. The barrel component was lees stirred 2-3 times to retain freshness and add texture. The wine spent 6 months in barrel/tank and was then racked by gravity, blended and left to settle for a further 2 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with no added SO2 or additions of any other kind.

The most important thing with this wine is give it time in the glass, it will get better the
longer it is open.

Serve slightly chilled.