Wine Momento Mori, Bianco, 2019

Momento Mori, Bianco is a natural wine, described by winemaker Dane Jones as “one of my favorite orange wines I’ve ever made, to date.” Dane also says about this wine: I dont believe that, working in such a dynamic system like nature, wines should be created every year according to the same recipe or in the same style. I like to think about what we are each year. should work, and even if only the season, the fruits themselves, as well as the subsequent spontaneous fermentation, determine in what style the cuve will end up. “Dane means that the blend of Momento Mori, Bianco wines changes every year, and what we see today is a completely different “beast” than what was in the previous year. So, in 2018, for example, about 40% Fiano, 40% Greco were used, and the rest was a mixture of co-fermented Fiano and Chardonnay varieties. The berries are grown in organic vineyards in Heathcote, a prestigious wine-growing region of Central Victoria, an hour and a half from the capital of the state of Melbourne. The vineyards lie in a narrow strip along the sides of the Mount Camel hills, where the elevation plays a large role in shaping the climate, as does the cool winds blowing from the south. Summers at Heathcote are comparatively mild, which results in a longer growing season. Ripening of grapes occurs slowly and evenly, which ensures optimal phenolic development – one of the reasons why Heathcote produces such high quality wines. The second reason is the ancient Cambrian soil, which is rich in calcium and can hold water well. On such soils, the vines produce small and very juicy berries, from which rich, deep and concentrated wines are obtained.

The harvest is collected exclusively by hand when the berries reach optimum ripeness. All varieties are vinified separately, except for a mixture of Fiano and Chardonnay, which takes 20% of the final blend. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats using various fermentation methods. Manufacturing technology Momento Mori, Bianco assumes long-term contact of the wort with the skin: 9 months for Greco and 1 to 2 months for other varieties. Overall, elevage takes at least 18 months. In the production of wine, the use of artificial additives, including sulfur dioxide, only wild yeast is not allowed. After mixing, the wine is bottled by gravity without pasting or filtering.