australia riverland
Grape varieties: 69% Vermentino , 31% Fiano
A dry white that is a blend of two varietals that is perfectly suited to warm and dry climates. Hand-picked, fermented and aged with wild yeasts in stainless steel. Very lightly filtered and clarified (VeganFriendly). The freshness and floral aroma of green apples and grapefruits, and refreshing acidity. Also great for seafood.
There is one winery that has taken the Australian wine scene by storm in recent years. Its name is “RiccaTerra”. Around 2019, the name began to appear rapidly, and now their wines are lined up in the sharpest wine shops in Australia. Rikka Terra is the owner and winery founded in 2003 by Ashley Ratcliff, a grower who calls himself ChaosCreator. We own 70ha of our own vineyards in Riverland, South Australia, and grow 45 different grape varieties, mainly alternative varieties. Ashley, who was born in London and moved to Australia soon after birth, began to be interested in cultivation after planting grapes on the ranch owned by his parents, and engaged in cultivation at wineries such as Orlando and Yalumba. In 2003, he purchased land in Riverland to start his own field.
Ashley started out planting grape varietals such as Chardonnay and Cabernet, but a trip to Southern Italy in 2004 changed everything. Ashley, who got the idea that "these grape varieties are suitable for the warm and dry land of Riverland", immediately pulled out international varieties and cultivated grapes such as Nero d'Avola, Vermentino and Fiano. start planting. At first, there was no word for alternative breeds, and Ashley, who was enthusiastic about working on breeds that no one had heard of in Australia, was not well understood (as a result, he called himself a chaos creator. ), its rationality is gradually recognized. In the dry Riverland, we have no choice but to rely on irrigation equipment, but by planting grape varieties that match the climate, we minimize irrigation and practice sustainable farming with less environmental impact. In 2015, when the potential for alternative varieties was discovered in Australia, GourmetTravellerWine selected it as "Perpetual Viticulturist of the Year", and in 2019, it received the highest rating of 5 stars by James Halliday. (currently serving as chairman of the Riverland Wine Commission).
"I'm a cultivation expert, not brewing. I want to be a top-level grower who does things that no one can imitate," says Ashley. That's why all Ricca Terra wines are commissioned by his trusted winemakers from three Barossa wineries. Of course, even if it is a contract brewing, the detailed process is decided after consulting with Ashley, and the quality and individuality that Rikka Terra seeks is beautifully expressed. All wines under the Ricca Terra name are hand-harvested, naturally fermented with wild yeasts, and the use of additives is kept to a minimum. Although it is essential that the quality of the sake is clean, it is said that by eliminating human intervention as much as possible, the charm of high-quality grapes can be reflected in the wine. The resulting wine is fresh and juicy, full of fruitiness, and is unique yet casual enough to blend into everyday life.
