Libertine Barncat Riesling Pet-Nat

Grape: 100% Riesling

ABV: 12%

Story: Alex Neely takes a philosophical approach to wine. He sees himself as a shepherd who guides the grapes along their journey of controlled spoilage. More often than not, the wine decides its own character as he does not pigeonhole them into some preconceived notion of what he imagines they should be. He alters his basic winemaking techniques to adapt to each particular and unique vintage. Therefore, none of his wines taste the same. The only consistency is inconsistency, much like life itself.

For the past five years, Alex and Veronica have stewarded the Barncat Vineyard with nothing but their hands and clippers. Nestled in the hill’s of Sherwood, these 34 year old Riesling vines are a stone’s throw from an old basalt quarry. While they make many different styles of wine from this vineyard, our Libertine friends have finally made a Pet-Nat! After a 48 hour cold maceration, the juice is spontaneously fermented in neutral oak barrel. No SO2 added, the wine is bottled under a crown cap with 8g/L remaining of residual sugar to produce delicate bubbles that tingle your tongue.

Personality: Unmistakable classic Riesling nose, fleshy peach stone fruit, baked meyer lemon, a handful of almonds, and a single cinnamon stick sit upon an excessively large river rock, rushing water lapping away. A spicy herbaciousness runs throughout.

Harmony: Grilled shishito peppers, marinated goat cheese on crackers, left-over Thai food.