“STRUCTURED, TEXTURED, AND LIGHTLY SALINE, WITH PRECISE LAYERS OF FRUIT. A CLEAN, AROMATIC NOSE EXUDES JASMINE TEA. THE PALATE TRANSITIONS FROM VIBRANCY TO A SOFTER, ROUND MID-PALATE BEFORE CULMINATING IN A TALC-EY, TEXTURAL ACIDITY.”
THAT IS JOUE WHITE.
YES, YOU WENT THERE. YOU JUST SCANNED A QR CODE ON A WINE BOTTLE, AND ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING A TOTAL NERD.
ONE OF US… ONE OF US…
IN A NUTSHELL:
The Joue White is a blend of 55% Pinot Gris, 25% Gewürztraminer and 20% Chardonnay grown on our estate. The vintage consisted of a cool early-summer, followed by a warm, dry late-summer and autumn. Permacultural and dry-farming approaches are practiced in the vineyard, which consists of glacial stone and sandy loam soils.
The fruit was separated into three lots, and left on skins. Wild fermentation was completed in old French oak. The wine aged on primary lees, without battonage for roughly 3 months. Nothing has been added, and the wine is un-fined and unfiltered.
VITICULTURE
In 2019 we took over a vineyard at the base of the hill, bordering our property that was overgrown and had been untended for many years, and wasn’t producing any fruit. After a year of clearing and plenty of handwork, the site (which we now call the “reclaimed vineyard”) began producing, providing a small crop in 2020 and a reasonable sized crop from 2021. In the process we also discovered the vineyard was made up of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir.
The Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer for the Joue White blend is now sourced entirely from the reclaimed vineyard. Sitting at the base of the property, it’s on average 3 °C warmer than the upper vineyard, hence coined the “honey pot.” This translates to riper fruit that is high in phenolics and flavour compounds, perfect for skin contact, and resulting in the punchy fruit profile we’re looking for in the Joue White.
WINEMAKING
The Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay was harvested by hand, sorted and foot stomped. They were left on skins, a third each for 8, 12, 24 hours each, and then whole-bunch pressed without the use of sulphur.
Fermentation by indigenous yeast was completed in old French oak barriques. The wine was left to age on primary lees, without battonage until just before bottling.
Nothing has been added to this wine: no yeast, enzymes, nutrients, or sulphur. It is also un-fined and unfiltered.
SPECIFICATIONS
- pH: 3.2
- Titratable Acid: 6.5g/L
- Free Sulphur: 0ppm
- Alcohol: 13%
- Residual Sugar: <2g/L
- Malolactic Fermentation: 100%
- Production: 650 cases
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