INTO THE DARKNESS

Winemaking power-couple Sarah Adamson and Greg Lane have released a unique style of pinot noir called Pinot x Pinot ($34). It’s their take on a Beaujolais-style red, designed to be served chilled, making it perfect for summer. “It’s crunchy, fresh, slurpy, full of bright red and blue fruits,” says Sarah. “After three weeks of whole-bunch carbonic maceration, the wine was pressed into neutral oak to finish fermentation then it was bottled unfiltered, with only a tiny amount of sulphur, making it clear and pure.” The groovy label art is done by Michele

Lane. She’s an artist who works in Adelaide and Kangaroo

Island and she’s also Greg’s mum (awww). scoutwines.co.nz

Making wine is a risky activity and all sorts can go wrong. Light-strike can strip the fruit out and turn even the most delicious wine into an arrowroot biscuit of boringness. UV rays can add cabbage, eggs and wet wool notes, ick. So why not reduce that risk and make wine in the dark? Slovenian wine producers Radgonske Gorice claim their Untouched by Light sparkling wine is the first of its kind by doing just that. How? The pickers harvest at night wearing night-vision goggles, the grapes are made into wine in total darkness then bottled in a completely light-proof, vacuum-sealed package for total protection for three years before release. Where and when should you drink it? Somewhere pitch black with someone saucy methinks.

untouchedbylight.com