Danger's little sister. An unplanned child, though: one day during the 2019 harvest, we finished pressing our Riesling, and one barrel still needed to be topped up with about a third of its volume. We didn’t have time to think about it, but had some direct-press Blaufränkisch at hand. Boom, let's put them together, fingers crossed. Tasting it before the end of fermentation, boom, we were stunned: hello little beauty, under the crown cap you go, our first rosé pet-nat you shall become. We’d probably never think of putting these two varieties together. Sometimes the best things aren't born of deliberation but of accidents and necessity.
Due to its immediate success (sizzled out of my warehouse in a few days), the 2020 BumCha was a planned parenthood affair. I love the magic that happens when mixing white and red grapes together(my fav topic, but you know me), so we went for the proven Riesling - Blaufrankisch combo, adding some Sauvignon Blanc and Zweigelt for extra carnival. Spontaneous co-fermentation finished under crown-cap over winter, resulting in juicy juicy juicy lemonade with bright acidity that wakes up all the senses. The kind of bottle you open while swimming, cooking, chatting (you name it) and boom, it's gone, without you even realising...
The label was designed by young Brazilian artist Ciro Bicudo - Ciro reached out to me via Messenger after drinking one of my bottles, saying that he liked it and felt like doing something together. I loved his proactivity and his work; in the meantime, Bum Bum Cha was born and needed a label. The jigsaw was falling into place. (Hear hear: I love these kinds of collabs, whether it be with wine or anything else. So if you ever feel like there’s something you can help me with or vice versa, just reach out.)
For the 2020 label, we got even more flamboyant Tropicana than last year. Actually, the labels Ciro designed were so fun that I couldn't choose just one... so I chose all four and we mix-match them in the cartons, samba!
Here's Ciro’s philosophy behind the label: When I think of pet-nat, I see it as transformation, something wild and free, that splashes you (not literally please) with a symphony of aromas, taste, colours and silky bubbles when opened. So I created a collage of vivid colours and shapes inspired by fabrics, my Brasilian urban culture and the feeling of energy and regeneration I have when drinking natural wines. It’s super important for me to be working with people who are independent and pushing the boundaries - so I was very honoured to be part of that moment of Nestarec Wines. Super excited to be able to make a piece of art for a work of art.
To my even greatest joy, the new label inspired Klára Šmakalová aka Akari, a young Czech fashion designer, to make a limited summer collection with Ciro's playful print. Don't you just love it when creativity spontaneously pops up around you?
Wanna drink this? These are the guys to ask where to get my wine in your country.
