Maker:
Using luck, art, and science (L.A.S.) aim to make absolutely delicious, delectable, desirable drops and to discover new flavours in the world of wine. Based in Margaret River, Western Australia, their mantra is minimal intervention with maximum flavour and where possible aim to work with growers using sustainable, organic and biodynamic vineyard methods.
Nic Peterkin’s L.A.S. Vino was created in 2013, sandwiched between some pretty serious periods of study and travel. Today, it is one of Margaret River’s keenest of cutting-edge labels, mining the region for vineyard sites of singular interest, with a focus on sustainable and mostly organic viticulture. The wines are often built around experimental techniques, but Peterkin does so without alienating, with them being as delicious as they are thoughtful. Peterkin was a Young Gun finalist in 2018.
Further, L.A.S. Vino has made it into Halliday's top 100 wineries of 2023. It's the admiration for their peers in the list that gives them so much pleasure in being announced at number 54/2000. In the words of editor Campbell Mattinson at Hallidays Wine companion. "This is a list of producers who are prepared to stake their reputation on every single wine they release. Arm yourself with these names and you can walk into any bottle shop in Australia, or peruse any wine list, and be ripe to pick the eyes from it. These are producers that essentially guarantee that you'll drink well."
Vineyard:
The L.A.S. Vino Albino PNO is made from pinot noir & chardonnay grapes grown in forest grove soils over granitic rock. The vineyard sits on the banks of the willyabrup river, only kilometres from the Indian ocean where cool ocean breezes flow up the valley. It’s one of the oldest and last remaining vineyards in Margaret River that contains Pinot Noir. A small one hectare vineyard with high density plantings and two different clones planted in 1980. The pinot noir vineyard is situated three kilometres from the Indian ocean on granite gravelly loam soils. The vines are planted on a gentle south facing slope that rolls down to the Willyabrup brook. The 40 year old vines are not only some of the oldest but also some of the only remaining pinot noir vines in Margaret River and we feel very grateful to be able to make wine from them. The vineyard a high density planting consisting of two seperate clones, leading to vines that yield less with more concentrated and flavoursome fruit.
Winemaking:
Hand picked fruit and chilled overnight and hand sorted prior to being lightly cold pressed as whole bunches, very gently over a few hours. This is 80% direct pressed pinot and 20% chardonnay. The juice was left to naturally settle prior to a wild fermentation in french barriques and clay amphora. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were fermented and matured separately. The wine matured in vessel for 9 months with fortnightly lees stirring prior to blending and bottling.
In comparison with other years the wine is lighter in colour and lower in alcohol, yet has body and balance through a secondary ferment, regular lees stirring and the addition of Chardonnay (20%). You can think of it as a rose if you like, but its a lot more than that.
Delicate, elegant and balanced with plenty of flavour and texture. Layers of complexity on the palate with flavours of pomegranate, grapefruit, lychee, guava and a hint of sea salt.
Tasting:
Nose - White Strawberries, Tropical, Restrained
Definite crunch and crispness, some powdery textural nuance in there, white strawberries, cranberry drink, faint black tea notes, some vanilla gently presses through
Palate - Layered, Pomegranate, Cranberry
Delicate, elegant and balanced with plenty of flavour and texture.
Finish - Refreshing, Complex, Sea Salt
Layers of complexity on the palate with flavours of pomegranate, grapefruit, lychee, guava and a hint of sea salt.
Pale salmon-pink colour, the lack of purple showing development thanks to barrel and amphora fermentation and lots of lees stirring. Savoury bouquet suggests smoked charcuterie. A layered, complex and textural wine, with a dry but soft mouth-feel. It's deliberately not fruity/grapy: an outstanding rosé style - Huon Hooke, The Real Review, 95 Points.
Definite crunch and crispness, some powdery textural nuance in there, white strawberries, cranberry drink, faint black tea notes, some vanilla gently presses through. Quite a restrained release here, tightly wound, compact, refreshing for sure, a bit more understated and sleek. Pleasing drinking. - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.
The Finer Details
Style - Rose
Varietal - Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20%
Country - Australia
Region - Willyabrup, Margaret River, Western Australia
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%
