About
Will Gilbert's pét-nat Riesling — bottle-fermented to dryness with natural sediment. Lime zest, green apple, yeasty wildness. The cloudy, lightly fizzing, natural-wine style of sparkling, done with cool-climate Orange precision.
Will Gilbert is a sixth-generation winemaker, based in Mudgee and pulling Riesling from cooler sites around Orange. He is rated among the most exciting young winemaking talents in NSW, and pét-nat is where he plays.
The method is the oldest way of making sparkling wine. Juice goes to bottle while still fermenting, and the last of the sugar turns to gentle bubbles under a crown seal. It lands at just over 12 per cent, with lemon curd riding over the citrus and a fine, soft bead.
Chill it hard. Stand the bottle upright for an hour if you want a clearer glass, or roll it gently if you like the haze. Fried chicken, Thai curries and fresh oysters all work, because the acid and the fizz cut straight through fat and spice.
Producer note
Gilbert Family Wines is a young-gun Orange producer making a range of cool-climate, lower-intervention wines.
Structure
Flavour
Pairs with
Picked on Stef's structure profile.
