Wild Pet Nat 2021
Curićo Valley, Chile
100% Chardonnay
Chardonnay done in the ancestral method takes on a rich, ripe mango flavor, which might be too much if the bubbles didn't diffuse the intense fruit. Instead, it's juicy and lifted, with that ripe mango plus apple and citrus, and cool herbal Bay leaf thing on the finish. Wildy cool wine.
Active in Chilean agriculture, grape growing and winemaking since 1740, the Echeverria family established their current vineyards and winery in 1923 in the outskirts of Molina, a town in the Curicó Valley. Like many growers in Chile, the family began by producing bulk wines, but in 1990 they pivoted to producing quality wines for export, with sustainability at the core. In the mineral rich soils of this region, with organic grapes (both estate and purchased) from French pre-phylloxera rootstocks, they're making quality natural wine for the people: clean, delicious, easy, fun labels, affordable prices.