Konpira Maru - 2025 Mt Midoriyama ‘Classic’ Pet Nat

"OK so... we used to call this our party pet nat, which was kind of lame, but also kind of accurate. This resulted from the power of 20% Chardonnay we used to add to the mix. Then we moved to the 100% Dolcetto route, because after changing vineyards a couple of years ago the brambly nectarine gold of the Dolcetto was too great to mess with! Now with a few riper vintages and a tad more experience with the fruit, we added a splash of high elevation Riesling to really lift the strawberry fruit.

This is a sparkling rosé that's as fresh as swimming in the ocean once you get past your belly button but serious enough to be that little bit Dame Judy Dench: saline, fruity and more than a little bit sexy.

It opens with aromas of poached Fuji apple and a whisper of spice. The palate hums with quince, multi-coloured fruit tingles and rolls out into a smooth line of cherry. The colour looms large with this one, somewhere between a gangster Aperol, a sexy ruby and the fabled Beauty and the Beast rose. Charlie would drink this with Barramundi and scampi dumplings followed by pears with Comte. Matt would prefer it served with duck rillettes with black cherries. And Al, some slow-smoked Kangaroo strap. Based on this, I think we can all agree this is a versatile drop but overall just bloody delicious fizzy stuff." - Al and Sam, Winemakers.