Pure Mongrel - Crush Pad Blend

Are you the adventurous type? Open minded? Like to try new things?

If you’re not, then walk on my friend this wine is not for you. But, if you are then this wine could be just the ticket to tantalizing your taste buds.

This is a minimal intervention, low sulphur wine made from 10 different grape varieties coming from 4 different regions (but primarily from Auckland).

This mongrel blend was put together ad hoc. On the crush pad as fruit came in.  It started as a spontaneous ferment in a 5L bucket. And just grew and grew. The ferment just kept rolling on and on and moved to bigger and bigger containers and vessels as more fresh fruit and juice were thrown in. It went on for about 8 weeks in total.

It was foot trodden and then lightly pressed to tank. It settled overnight and was racked to a stainless steel tank where it stayed and underwent spontaneous malo-lactic conversion. In early December it went through a ‘fly catcher’ filter, had a tiny amount of sulphur dioxide added (about 20mg/L total) and was bottled.

Best Buy! – Metro Top 50 Wines 2021

It’s a smoky, chewy, fresh and pretty red wine. “Light and earthy,” said Farrera, who loved it.