Orange’s Slow Wine Co has released two new sparkling wines, made from grapes grown on their mature and trusted Bantry Grove vineyard. The new releases are the 2021 Slow Wine Co ‘Blanc de Blancs’ ($60) and the 2021 Slow Wine Co ‘Blanc de Noir’ ($60).
Bantry Grove, the home vineyard of Slow Wine Co, is located on the volcanic slopes of Mount Canobolas (Gaanha-Bula) at an elevation of 960 metres. Planted in 1990, it supplies grapes for the Slow Wine Co wines as well as to Orange’s most awarded sparkling wines.
The property has been in the Johnson family for three generations, since James Johnson purchased it in 1936. The family ran sheep and cattle until James’s son, Terrey, planted 12.2 hectares of vines in the mid-1990s. Today, the business is run by siblings Jen and Richie Johnson, with Terrey enjoying retirement.
“The 14-hectare vineyard is one of the highest in the region and has an easterly aspect, making it one of the coolest,” says vigneron and owner Jen Johnson. “We have 2,050 vines per hectare, with the rows 2.8 metres wide and the vines 1.75 metres apart.”
“With the proven success of sparkling wines from our vineyard, we challenged our winemaker, Will Rikard-Bell, to craft two small-batch wines that highlight the quality of the fruit,” Jen continues.
“Will shares our philosophy and works closely with us to ensure the wines truly reflect the site. His winemaking approach is slow, natural, and minimal-intervention. These are truly handmade wines that capture the essence of our high-altitude, cool-climate vineyard.”
Both wines were made in the same way, allowing the varietal character to shine. The grapes were hand-picked, with the base wines fermented and matured in seasoned oak prior to secondary fermentation and extended maturation on lees.