Grapes: Marsanne, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris
Place: Martinborough, New Zealand
The Naturalist is Cambridge Road's sparkling wine made in the usual cloudy raw fashion. Nothing added or taken away, just organic grape juice wild-fermented under cap in the style of a Pettilant Natural; this wine is slightly off-dry but carries a good, balancing acidity. Notes of roses, grapefruit, stonefruit, and white pepper.
Lance Redgwell owns a small 3ha vineyard that was planted in 1986 in Martinborough, just north of Wellington. This southern extremity of New Zealand’s north island is ideal for ripening cool climate grape varieties, ranging from Pinot Noir to Riesling. He farms organically and uses the biodynamic practices he can justify. Between the vines you’ll find a thick blanket of nurturing cover crops. He farms without irrigation, which is shockingly rare in this area. To expand his portfolio, he purchases a small amount of fruit from nearby organic farmers.