Aces & Arrows is a side project for the Pernod Ricard winemakers. Each maker gets to have a hands on role in the whole creative process. Winemaker Allira has decided upon Vermentino from the Riverland. The wine fermented in stainless steel before transfer to old 300L French oak barrels for 7 months maturation. Monthly bâtonnage to build complexity and texture.

Aces & Arrows, Vermentino, Riverland, 2022

Pale lemon straw colour. Easy approach to Vermentino. The oak work has rounded out some of Vermentino’s ratbag, salt crusted, surfy vibes and given an elegance and coconut nutty nuance. Plenty of orange leaf citrus, Nashi pear and a touch of baking biscuit. Carrying a bit of weight on the palate, there’s a welcome return to brine, then a strange burnt creaminess from the oak regime that kinda works, before the spice echoes. Textural and with good length. A unique take.

RRP: $30
Alc: 13.5%
Rating: 90/100

Wine sample courtesy of Pernod Ricard and Liquid Ideas