Hiyu Wine Farm Tzum Eventyr 2022

Hiyu Wine Farm Tzum Eventyr 2022

Hiyu Wine Farm
$73.00

Grape: Albarino
Vintage: 2022
Type: White

Eventyr (the Danish word for "fairytale" or "adventure") is Hiyu's mind-bending take on Albariño. Don’t expect the crisp, zippy, seaside style of a classic Spanish Rías Baixas Albariño, it will completely upend your senses. Nate notes that Eventyr tastes far more like a dry, Grand Cru German Riesling than an Albariño. And thus our love for Hiyu’s wild, indescribable wines.This is an orange wine but made with absolute gentleness. The grapes were macerated as whole clusters in upright wood vats for 9 days. Just as fermentation was ready to take off, the juice was moved to neutral barrels where it continued to slowly ferment for another 6 months.

On the nose a fascinating, wild aromatic cloud, as it opens with deep, honeyed notes of ripe mango, apricot, pastries, cut through by a distinct, high-toned alpine floral. There is a trace of that classic "natty" wild yeastiness (some compare it to a hint of sourdough or malic funk), which adds a captivating, savory layer. On the palate, viscous, expansive, and utterly complex. The 9-day skin maceration gives it a brilliant golden color and a subtle, phenolic grip (tannins for a white wine). You get a wave of tropical fruit and mandarin orange, which is immediately corralled by a fierce, driving, alpine acidity. A long, incredibly long, structured, and mineral, finish with a pleasant, slight hint of Italianate herbal bitterness.

This is a shapeshifting, intellectual wine. Do not serve it freezing cold; serve it cool, not cold. Let it breathe and shed any initial reduction. It is a monumental food wine that handles complex, savory, and even slightly spices beautifully. 

Hiyu is a true mixed farm with pigs, cows, chickens, ducks and geese living among the vines during different parts of the year and helping to control the vegetation. Nate calls their vineyard management, which has been deeply influenced by Masanobu Fukuoka, “the wild side of permaculture”.

The property is divided into half-acre blocks, each planted to a field blend from a different place or moment in the genetic history of the grapevine, with up to 150 different varieties and clones in total.

The name “Hiyu” comes from Chinook Jargon, where it denotes “abundance”, “plenty” or “big party”. Nate Ready used to work as a sommelier in various fine establishments, including the lauded Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Napa Valley. China Tresemer, the estate’s co-founder and agriculturalist, is also a talented illustrator who creates all the labels.

Manual harvest into small baskets, whole cluster macerations, foot-treading and basket press, slow fermentation with indigenous yeasts only. Aged in old neutral oak barrels of various sizes. No fining or filtration, no sulfur at bottling.