Biodynamic. Following his Ramato-style Pinot Grigio and Ripasso-inspired Cabernets, Ben Gould gives this 100% Sauvignon Blanc the ancient Tuscan winemaking treatment. Governo is a fascinating, if largely forgotten, traditional method of winemaking called Governo all' Uso Toscano, which involves inducing a second fermentation by adding a small percentage of dried grapes.
For this wine, a portion of grapes was picked early by hand and air-dried before spontaneous fermentation on skins. The remaining grapes were basket-pressed and naturally fermented in a combination of old French oak, stainless steel and concrete egg. These batches were combined and the lees occasionally stirred for seven months before being bottled cloudy to maintain a nice orange hue. Like Sauvignon Blanc smuggled from an exotic bazaar, this wine has a familiar taste but with additional characters of blackcurrant flower, mandarin and Moroccan spice. The taste goes beyond what you expect from Sauvignon Blanc, transporting your mood to far-flung lands.