Tantalus 2021 Piquette Riesling 750ml

Piquettes are popping up across our country’s winegrowing regions – and for good reason. They are simply delicious and boast the refreshing, effervescent character of a lightly sparkling wine but in a unique, lower-alcohol style. They are also a nod to our desire to make the most out of every drop from the fruits of our labour.

Made by re-fermenting our grape skins and stems after first pressing, these were the refreshments of choice for French agricultural and vineyard workers looking to quench their thirst but still carry on with their work. Think wine but dialed back a touch.

Pouring deep yellow and a little cloudy and effervescent in the glass, a result of secondary fermentation in bottle - this “farmhouse-style” wine beverage is fun and a little funky with aromas of lemon balm, gingered pear, citrus peel and baked pastry.

The palate is very refreshing and linear with citrus, spice, fuzzy peach and starfruit. Apple butter and a bright grassy character linger on the finish. The perfect drink for Spring - we plan to enjoy this parkside, poolside, beachside, etc..

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:

Our Riesling Piquette was crafted by taking the gently-pressed grape skins and stems of our “Block 5 Old Vines Riesling, rehydrating them with water for a couple of days and pressing them again.

The resulting juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks to produce an interesting cloudy beverage that is reminiscent of skin contacted wines. The wine is bottled while still fermenting to capture a small amount of natural effervescence.

The bright, natural aromatic compounds found in Riesling are really well-suited to this style of beverage. Drink well-chilled and during the sunshine season. Cheers!