2022 Črnko Méthode Traditionelle

Notes & Pairings

One of the many joys of visiting the Črnko family is opening up a bottle of Oceanus. Started in 2009, Silvo was the first in the EU to age his sparkling wines in the ocean. More specifically, for five years sixty feet down in the Bay of Piran. Constant temperature, the tides did the riddling, and famously, there’s no oxygen. Tamara, Silvo’s daughter, was the driving force behind this project. A well seasoned and passionate diver, this was a way to keep her active in the family winery and do something really special. Unfortunately, due to the bottles being covered in sea creatures, we cannot import them. While we still hope to get some Oceanus in stock someday, but now at least we have a baby version for the very first time while we wait. 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Blanc, they are fermented separately and then blended in the early Spring. Second fermentation started in March 2023 followed by two years racked and riddled on the lees. No liquor, extra brut, and non disgorged, meaning a “Col Fondo” style where the fine lees are integrated into the wine. Cloudy, richer texture, but with traditional method size bubbles. It’s a tweener between the yeastiness in a Pét-nat, but with the age and refinement of a traditional method.

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