Castlewood Vineyard, Artefact, A Moment In Wine

Wine Type: Orange/Skin Contact White

Grape(s): Bacchus

Country: UK

Region: Devon

Organic: No

Vegan: Yes

ABV: 10.6%

Tasting Notes: Top notes of persimmon and tangerine lead into a Muscadet-style palate, where saline texture and a subtle mineral graininess create texture and freshness.

Winemaking: Luke Harbor, Head Sommelier at the Pig Hotels,, has been lending a hand to the Castlewood team for over 8 vintages now. Hours of vineyard pruning evoke lengthy discussions between vignerons and sommeliers. Amongst the vine leaves sprawled across the south-facing slopes of the Axe Valley, Luke expressed an interested to be involved in the winemaking side at Castlewood, as well as the vineyard. Both agreed on making a wine that should be enjoyed in the present moment whilst also giving a gentle nod to the past. Prerequisite of the project: blank canvas and experimentation. Artefact was unearthed.

Made from the GF1 Bacchus clone, grapes were hand-harvested in October 2023 in East Devon. Then we crushed and destemmed them into four 300-litre Tuscan amphorae, spending 21 days on skins and fermenting with indigenous yeasts before ageing for 18 months on lees. There was no fining or filtration.

Food pairing: Delicious alongside steamed mussels with cider, leeks and chorizo.