2022 Four In The Hand

WHY THIS APPROACH?

Our background is organic vegetable and flower farming and just like the flowers and vegetables on our farm, we believe in creating wines that are completely organic from vine to bottle and as true to the grapes we harvest as possible.

IN THE VINEYARD.

It all starts in the vineyard. For over four years now we have been practicing solely organic, regenerative farming techniques in our vineyard, including green manure cover crops, compost teas, mulching, under-vine cultivation, no chemicals or pesticides, and advanced water-saving practices. 

Our primary focus for the next few years is increasing the amount of organic matter and microbial diversity of our soil. So far, the results have been magnificent. We believe that the healthier our soil gets, the healthier our vines get, the better the character of the fruit gets = better wine.

IN THE WINERY.

We are big advocates for wild fermentation and as of vintage 2020 all of our wines are 100% wild fermented. We aren’t against adds (additions) as a blanket rule, but for us to use an ‘add’, it must be three things:

'Minimum impact' (i.e. it doesn't alter the true character of the wine).

Massively enhancing to the finished product (like a chef adding a pinch of salt to a dish—small addition for big results).

From nature. 

Every one of our adds is organic and naturally derived and we use them only when needed, only in minimal amounts. As of 2021 we are only using 4 adds: tartaric acid (naturally derived from the winemaking process), spent yeast cells (like the superfood supplement brewer's yeast, this is extra nutrition for our wild yeasts when they need it during fermentation), dry ice (solid CO2) and minimal amounts of sulphur (see below). 

We ferment in a variety of seasoned (old) barrels, big 450-1500L buckets, stainless steel tanks, large open wooden vats and a very new barrels for spice. If we ever need to inoculate a wayward ferment we only use organically cultivated wild yeast strains isolated from biodynamic vineyards. We don't fine our wines but we do filter our Main Range (with diatomaceous earth or inert membranes) before bottling. Our Short Runs range is always unfined & unfiltered.