NV Barncat Vineyard “Death and Rebirth” Riesling vol. 1
A spectacularly unique project that is best described as a refermentation solera but even that is not very accurate. We never intended to create such a beast until necessity forced our hand. When we bottled our 2017 Riesling, the warehouse did not have enough of the specialty glass we were using at the time. Most had been shipped off to other states as we were the only ones in Oregon stupid enough to buy it. This left us with a half barrel of Riesling. We had run some “sherry” trials before and decided to throw caution into the wind. We let the barrel oxidize and develop native Oregon surface yeast.
When the 2018 fruit from Barncat was harvested, we filled the barrel all the way up and let it referment. Then, it aged for 10 months without topping. It again oxidized and developed native surface yeast. Right before the 2019 harvest, we bottled half the barrel in 500ml bottles (20 cases) and then the process continued.
Freshly cut white flowers and lavender on the nose. Asian pear and fresh oregano are carried on ad infinitum by a raging acidity. It embodies the true Oregon spirit of fearlessness and ruthless experimentation.
Like all our other wines, it was wild yeast fermented in neutral oak. Other than a very small amount of sulfite, absolutely nothing was added to this wine. Unfiltered and unfined.
