'Natural Wines' Pack ~ June 2025
The Gen-Z of wine boxes. Lo-fi, skinsy, sulfur-free, FUN-ky!
This month's Natural Wines 3-Pack includes:
1. 2021 ‘Bande de Brutes’ Brut Nature Pet Nat
Muscat, Bouysselet, Maccabeu | Fronton, FR | Diane + Philippe Cauvin | Domaine La Colombière
A picnic Pet Nat is the best way to describe this one. Fresh and fizzy and made from a blend of Muscat, Maccabeu and Bouysselet. Incredibly floral, yet balanced, with zingy citrus blossom, elderflower, underripe apricot and honeysuckle on the nose. The palate opens with a crisp snap of lemon zest and stone fruit. The mousse is super soft and frothy, more sherbet than Champagne.
2. 2024 Inkwell ‘Yellow’ Grillo
Grillo | McLaren Vale, SA | Dr Irina Santiago-Brown + Dudley Brown | Inkwell
The 2024 Inkwell ‘Yellow’ Grillo is a zesty, textural white made from organically grown Grillo grapes in McLaren Vale. Originally from Sicily and traditionally used in Marsala, Grillo is dry, aromatic and intensely fresh - like a grown-up version of Pinot Grigio. The 2024 vintage is just the second estate release of this wine from Inkwell, and it's even better than the first. Farmed on their south-facing vineyard and grown specifically to suit the warming, drying climate, it sees a little skin contact in concrete egg-shaped fermenters for added texture, and like all of Inkwell’s wines, it’s made without fining or filtration. The result is a bright, coastal white that’s salty and a little wild, with loads of tempered lemon, green apple, white peach, saline, and chalk. Raw, vibrant expression that offers real refreshment with a slightly esoteric edge.
3. 2021 Rocco Di Carpeneto ‘Lilan’ Dolcetto Rosé
Dolcetto | Piemonte, IT | Lidia Carbonetti | Rocco di Carpeneto
The 2021 ‘Lilan’ Rosé is bright and crunchy. It’s a direct-press rosé - so no Dolcetto skin contact - instead spending time macerating with Cortese (a white grape) skins instead to build texture. Then it spends 12 months in acacia barrels giving it a subtle roundness and structure. The fruit comes from older vines and feels sun-drenched but not overdone. It's full of flavour but totally refreshing, think wild berries, citrus peel, salty herbs... just delicious.
