Off the beaten track
Lightning Rock Pét-Nat Rosé 2020, British Columbia, Canada
The current heat wave over the Pacific Northwest is a major concern for every farmer. Jordan and Tyler from Lightning Rock winery in the Okanagan Valley rely on the year-round principles of regenerative farming to keep their soils healthy and alive during massive weather shifts. Cover crops and compost play a big role in maintaining soil structure, retaining moisture and nutrients to keep the cycle going. Even with this commitment, some set berries have already been abandoned by the plants and shrivelled. Which varieties will stand the heat?
Let’s wish luck to our farmer friends battling the heat with this refreshing 2020 Pét-Nat rosé! A bright pink Pinot Noir sparkling at just 10.5%, the perfect summer apéro.
Weninger Zweigelt ‘Im Fluss’ 2018, Austria
Weingut Weninger, on the Austria-Hungarian border, is a family winery who takes great pride in sustainability, biodynamic farming and hands-on viticulture. Growing up in the vineyards of Burgenland and Sopron harvesting grapes by hand with family and friends, Franz Weninger is determined to keep the local traditions alive. In 2018, he started the “Rage Against The Machine” project to amplify like-minded producer’s voices and raise awareness on the importance of hand-harvesting. Although finding labor can be increasingly difficult, this is an environmental and social commitment to minimize soil compaction as well as preserve the cultural hustle and bustle of a group of people hand-picking instead of a single machine. Franz and other like-minded grape farmers wear their “Rage Against The Machine” harvest t-shirt with pride and take part in creating the wine world they want to see.
Light and fruity, the Weninger Zweigelt ‘Im Fluss’ 2018 from Austria is an ideal red to serve slightly chilled in the summer. With mouth-watering acidity and notes of pepper, fresh tarragon and red licorice, it is an ideal choice to pair with charcuterie and cheeses.
