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89POINTS
16¼/20
Bella Wines Mariani Trad-Nat Gamay Noir NV
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaNever heard of Trad-Nat? Fret not, as it's a name owner/winemaker Jay Drysdale came up with to describe this cross between a traditional method sparkling wine, and a pét-nat (method ancestrale). As with many new things, this was an experiment. Their goal: to make traditional method fizz with nothing added, including sugar or yeast. They native fermented their bone dry 2016 Westbank gamay as a base wine, and added the still-fermenting, thus still sugar-laden 2017 Cavada gamay (Naramata Village) as their liqueur de triage (to kickstart the second fermentation in bottle). After about a day to marry the two vintages, and with Jay confident that the resultant sugar (approx 25 g/L) would create enough pressure to make a traditional method fizz, this was bottled, where it rested on lees for four months before hand riddling and disgorging at the end of January 2017. Pixellated and frisky, with raspberry, red currant, red apple, red liquorice, cut with a twinge of balsamic and riff of stony spice. Bone dry via zero dosage, yet tightly knit and finely fruity, via Westbank gamay that spent one year on lees in neutral barrel, this is a rarity, and an experiment that worked. This reminds me of a light and finer Lambrusco rather than a rosé Champagne, yet feels inherently Okanagan and perfect for food. Looking forward to future experiments from Bella.Tasted: 28 May 2018Tasted by: Prices:| BC | $40.00 | 750ml | winery direct |
Grape: Gamay NoirCSPC: 132223
