It’s animal, it’s passion, it’s magic
It’s animal, animal magic

2019 Brave New Wine ‘Magical Animal’, Porongurup

 

What a beautiful, refreshing, exciting wine.  Highly recommend.  I ended up pairing this with a pumpkin, chickpea and pasta soup from my new favourite recipe book (Ostro), and it took it to all new heights.

If you’re not familiar with the Brave New Wine wines from Denmark, this is a really great introduction to what they (husband and wife superstar team Yoko and Andries) do.  If you’re on Instagram and you’re not following them, it’s an opportunity missed: Yoko does the incredible label artwork by hand – there seems to be no limits to her talents, and between the sequins, laughs, colours and family times, there is a swathe of wines to try – this being my favourite so far.  Unfortunately they are all too often sold out, so you do have to be a little savvy about how and when to buy.  I’ve got a little thing for the linen tea-towel too… I can see it hanging on my oven already. They do merch.  It’s fun. x

Tasted blind:

“Wow.  Fino?  This has a Jura quality about it – rich and full, plenty of sea salt.  The palate is lifted, tight, salty, savoury….  This is funky and sets me on edge a little… but I like that”

Day 2: I pretty much love this.  Based on the beautiful hand-drawn label I’m expecting rainbows and sparkles and a My Little Pony purple tail.  In actual fact this is serious, minerally, savoury, salty, spicy, structured and super sexy.  Love the quenching acid.  I agree with my Fino/Jura vibe – it’s got whisperings of all of that… but it’s also very much Australian in its purity and glossiness of fruit expression.  Concentrated and more rich today.  Big yes.

95/100

$38 (sold out on the Brave New Wine website, but I found some still available on Differentdrop.com)