Wine of the Month: Love Chunk

Introducing February’s wine of the month, the appropriately named Love Chunk from Nouveau Wine.

Mild, juicy and ideal for chilling (we adore it served straight from the fridge), Love Chunk is created from 100% Cinsault, and is a mix of previous block vines in addition to youthful vines. It’s fermented in chrome steel to provide freshness and undergoes a course of known as Carbonic Maceration which supplies its signature flavour of boiled sweets (we promise, it tastes wonderful). Alongside this, it options crimson fruits akin to strawberry, raspberry and a bitter cranberry observe. It has mild tannin however is easy on the palate and an general easy-drinker.  

Made utilizing low-innervation farming, this implies hand-harvested grapes, sustainable farming practices and spontaneous fermentation – Nouveau go away the wild yeasts that exist already on the grapes and within the vineyard work their magic.

With flavours of crimson berries, candied sweets and saline, we love this vegan wine served chilled from the fridge.  

To have fun we spoke to the top Nouveau Wine winemaker in South Africa to search out out extra about how this contemporary crimson wine is produced.

What does a winemaker do?

A winemaker merely guides the product to its ultimate vacation spot. We need to make one thing distinctive and have folks expertise what you have got skilled through the rising of the grapes and the making of the wine – all these flavours that you just get for while you open up a bottle of wine.

What’s low-intervention winemaking?

Low-intervention winemaking is the place the winemaker doesn’t do an excessive amount of to the wine, they merely be sure that all the things runs easily however doesn’t intrude. There aren’t any extra components added to the wine and the naked minimal quantity of sulphites or none in any respect. There’s no filtration – you do not take something out of the wine that is not speculated to be there.

What winery practices makes Love Chunk ‘low-intervention’?

An vital low-intervention winery follow shouldn’t be utilizing systemic chemical substances to deal with the winery. We’re extra targeted on rising wholesome vines as an alternative of treating the signs of illness and pests so we focus quite a bit on soil well being. In case you have wholesome soil you have got wholesome vines and in case you have wholesome vines, you have got wholesome grapes.

Why does Nouveau Wine select to make use of Outdated Vines?

Utilizing previous vines offers you grapes with a greater high quality, so subsequently a greater testing wine. 

How previous are the Outdated Vines?

An Outdated Vine in South Africa must be a minimal of 35 years previous. Within the trade, it was commonplace to drag out older vines and begin new however the ‘Outdated Vine Challenge’ which began a couple of decade in the past, goals to protect these older vines.

What affect does the age of the vines have on the wine?

The age of the vine has an enormous affect on the standard of the wine. When a vine is younger it tends to be fairly vigorous. Because it grows older it reduces its yield and the grapes on the vine get much more concentrated. This makes a superior high quality grape which is then mirrored within the wine.

What’s ‘carbonic maceration’ and what impact does this have on the wine?

Carbonic maceration is the place the fermentation of the berry occurs inside itself as a result of atmosphere within the tank. CO2 is added however the grapes aren’t crushed so the grapes grow to be little tanks of their very own.

It will increase the fruit profile within the wine which makes provides flavours of crimson and blackberry to the wine. It additionally decreases the tannin extraction of the wine since you do not break the pores and skin cells of the grape. 

What’s one of the simplest ways to serve Love Chunk? How chilly ought to or not it’s?

Serving Love Chunk chilled helps to extend the expression of the contemporary fruit flavours within the wine. 

What do you get while you scent Love Chunk?

I choose up so many crimson berries – cranberries come first to thoughts but in addition forest-floor berries, blackberries…It is like a bowl of juicy berries!

What do you get while you style Love Chunk?

Let’s discuss in regards to the color first – as you’ll see it’s a calmly colored wine which displays its lighter, elegant construction and easy tannin on the palette. Then you definately’ve received the continuation of these juicy berry fruits in addition to a boiled candy/candied high quality from the carbonic maceration course of.

Questioning find out how to get pleasure from tour new favorite wine? Love Chunk pairs very well with…

Fable Pink Miso & Soy Beef Stir Fry
Belazu Rose Harissa Paste
I’m Nut Okay – Black Truffle Nerominded
Torres Vegetable Crisps

Strive Love Chunk right here now and examine the total Nouveau Wine vary right here.