Winemaker Notes
Drink Zappers on its own as a pick-me-up and rejoice in its unique hydration qualities. Astound your friends and confound your enemies as it makes you appear infinitely more sophisticated than they remember. Use it in cocktails — yeah, that’s right – cocktails. Wear a sexy mask and pretend you are in Venice while you nonchalantly whip up some Bellinis and Aperol Spritzes for your excited guests. Put it in an atomiser and spray it on your face while you are dancing at the disco, simultaneously refreshing mind, body and spirit with every pump…
Gold color with a touch of bronze, Zaptung smells like Nashi pears and apples. On the palate, this approachable Prosecco is bright, with fine acid and floral aromas.
This is a 100% Glera Prosecco. The fresh, dry thirst quencher - perfect to sip in the sun. Lightly sparkling and perfect on its own or in a cocktail/spritz.
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Alpha Box & Dice is former Red Heads Studio's head winemaker Justin Lane's new winery. Justin is a bit of a legend among ‘garage’ wine makers for his passionately crafted wines and loveable rogue-vintner ways. After years of making other people’s bottles notorious, Lane’s newest incarnation has become an extension of his soul.
Wines without boundaries – regional, varietal or stylistic. Wines whose entire raison d’être is to be delicious and to express the minutia and complexity of site and vintage conditions. Wines that enchant; wines that delight you and leave you betwixt the rock and a ripe grape. Through a series of random experiments in the field and adventures in vinous bricolage, these are AB&D modest goals.
A large, climatically diverse country with incredibly diverse terrain, producing just about every wine style imaginable, Australia has a grand winemaking history and some of the oldest vines on the planet. Most regions are concentrated in the south of the country with those inland experiencing warm, dry conditions and those in coastal areas receiving tropical, maritime or Mediterranean weather patterns. Australia has for several decades been at the forefront of winemaking technology and has widely adopted the use of screwcaps, even for some premium and ultra-premium bottles. Thanks to the country’s relatively agreeable climate throughout and the openness of its people, experimentation is common and ongoing.
Shiraz is indeed Australia’s most celebrated and widely planted variety; Barossa Valley leads the way, producing exceptionally bold and supple versions. Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia's second most planted variety, can be blended with Shiraz but also shines on its own particularly in Coonawarra and Margaret River. Grenache and Mourvèdre are also popular, both on their own and alongside Shiraz in Rhône Blends. Chardonnay is common throughout the country and made in a wide range of styles. Sauvignon Blanc has recently surged in popularity to compete with New Zealand’s distinctive version and Semillon is often blended in Margaret River or shines on its own in the Hunter Valley. Riesling thrives in the cool-climate Clare and Eden Valleys. Sticky-sweet fortified wine Rutherglen is a beloved regional specialty of Victoria.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
