VENTO DO MAR

Bulgogi, herb-crusted lamb, aged Comté

Cellar temp does quite nicely (around 16 – 18C)

A self-proclaimed “licker & sniffer” as a kid, Riley Harrison has always been fascinated with flavours and smells. While he loves the hard work of harvest, he wasn’t so keen on pushing that hard year-round, so being a chef was out. Making wine seemed like a much better idea. He also didn’t love the structure and bounds of corporate winemaking, so he started making super-small batches of wine under his own brand in 2015, growing slowly with the safety net of a paycheck from a day job until things reached critical mass in 2022. Taking the project from a hobby to a grown-up wine business meant he needed to focus his energies solely on “not f*cking this dream up,” – and we sure think he’s done a great f*cking job!

Riley is passionate about sustainable winemaking. He believes that over-planting in unsuitable regions strains the environment and depletes precious resources. By carefully sourcing grapes from Barossa, McLaren Vale, and Adelaide Hills, he ensures each variety thrives in its ideal conditions. His vision? Fewer vines, smarter planting, and a brighter, greener future for Australian wine.

There is an extremely high concentration of Eucalyptus trees in Blewitt Springs. Some science-y folks have found trace amounts of Eucalyptol (the compound released by the trees) in the soils & on the vines in the area. So you really are tasting Eucalyptus here!

Place: Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, Australia
Grapes: Cabernet Franc
Style: Opinionated!
Ingredients: Grapes & minimal sulphites