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un fact: Borachio’s Mark Warner and Alicia Basa met at a hardcore gig in Sydney, back in 2003. In some ways, that’s the perfect insight into their loose-knit, high-energy approach to the winemaking craft. Then again, it might be the time they spent with Sylvain Martinez in the Loire or local Adelaide Hills legends like Jauma’s James Erskine and the late Taras Ochota of Ochota Barrels. Since launching in 2016, these wines have only ever gone from strength to strength, striking that elusive balance between ‘serious’ and ‘seriously drinkable’ with an unerring consistency that additive-free wines seldom achieve. (And how about the next-level label artwork?)
So, is this latest release any different, you ask? Of course not! And in all honesty, it’s probably the sharpest yet, with a clutch of first-time bottlings that absolutely rock. First up, fittingly, is the 2022 Loose Unit – a racy hodgepodge of all the current white grapes (sauv blanc, pinot grigio, chardonnay) in a crushable one-litre format with all the gluggability of Golden Circle Tropical Punch. They’ve also made a virtue of old vine grenache with the 2023 Nuevo Paraiso, as slippery as it is crunchy with lots of tart red berries, pomegranate and a pinch of white pepper. (There’s more old vine grenache, as well, in the form of the 2022 Garnaxa, which capitalises on McLaren Vale’s deep sandy soils and tastes of redcurrants and Gala apples spiced with fennel and alpine herbs.)
On the fizz front, it turns out letting pet nat settle for three years can be a wondrous thing, if the 2022 Tutti-Roo is any indication. Lots of lemon balm, sherbet-like zing and an underlying savouriness, with a fine bead that keeps you reaching for a top-up. And while we’re on top-ups, you will want many of them if the bottle in question is the Cantaria Vermut. Yes! Vermouth! Made with carbonic cabernet sauvignon from the 2021 vintage, fortified with grape spirit and enriched with strawberry gum and other native botanicals. Leafy, stemmy, bittersweet and absolutely wicked over ice with tonic, on olive and an orange wedge like you would in Barcelona.
Some all-time classics are back with a vengeance, too. The is-it-a-rosé or is-it-a-light-red blend of pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay has returned, renamed Flowers for the 2023 vintage. And yes, it’s still as lithe and L’Anglore-like as ever, scented with raspberry, rose petal and orange blossom perfume. To top this all off comes a gem from the cellar – a ballistic 2020 Chardonnay Savagnin full of nutty, saline detail that just keeps giving: brown lime, coconut, Fino Sherry. More, more, more!