Vino Volta Funky and Fearless Chenin

Vino Volta’s Funky & Fearless Chenin Blanc blends technical precision with natural winemaking flair. Sourced from 25 to 30 year-old vines in the Swan Valley’s Rockets vineyard, this Chenin is grown on deep alluvial loams and farmed with an emphasis on minimal intervention. Whole-bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in neutral French oak, the wine undergoes extended lees contact with periodic bâtonnage to enhance mouthfeel and complexity without any additions or fining. The result is a Chenin that balances purity and funk; aromatically lifted with lemon pith, passionfruit, and ripe apple, it also delivers a savory backbone of preserved lemon, ginger, raw almond, and sea spray. On the palate, it’s taut and bright, with a firm acidity that cuts through the creamy texture. It carries its weight with elegance and drive, finishing long with a saline snap and a touch of oxidative grip reminiscent of fino sherry. Funky & Fearless is both intellectually satisfying and deliciously drinkable, an adventurous expression of Chenin Blanc that will appeal to fans of high-acid whites, skin-contact styles, and wines with a strong sense of place. Serve it with rich seafood, aged cheeses, or just simply enjoy it as the center of attention.

Winemaker: Garth Cliff and Kristen McGann

Grape(s): Chenin Blanc

GI: Swan Valley, Western Australia

Site(s): Rocket’s Vineyard, Upper Swan

Vintage Notes: 2022 had an average early season that headed into a prolonged warm spell from late December with several heat spikes - way more than usual. This made for an unpredictable harvest period where ripening was at times accelerated and at times delayed. Great quality for those being meticulous.

Vineyard notes: From an old-vine plot in Upper Swan, on loam, organically-grown (certified) and dry-farmed. The vines are 30 years of age. The site here is a little more undulating than much of Swan Valley and the vines are planted in east-west row orientation and vertically trained.

Winemaking: Hand-picked on January 22. Whole bunch pressed to old oak. Native yeast high solids ferment with monthly lees stirring.

Closure: Stelvin

ABV: 13.5%

Tasting notes: The aromatics combine passion fruit, lemon aspen (a floral native citrus), and lime pith, with preserved lemon, cider, and wasabi. The palate has a mealy and waxy texture that gives complexity and nuance to the clean acid line. A tightrope walk of a wine, balancing all sorts of flavors and textures into a cohesive, complex, and just plain delicious package.

Label: Designed and created by Anitra Stene and Garth Cliff, most of Vino Volta’s labels are based on the same scene: the vineyards below the Darling Scarp with the Swan River winding its way through. The Noongar people believed the Swan River was created by the Wagyl, a Rainbow Serpent. Different wines have different color variants and artistic interpretation of the same scene.

Production size: 250 cases

Scores: 95 Points (James Suckling), 95 Points (Wine Advocate)