BUNTER SPRING WINERY — CURRENT RELEASES
2019 BUNTER SPRING SYRAH, “SUPERNATURAL”, NAPA VALLEY. 100% Syrah, Estate bottled. 13.45% alcohol, 58 cases, $30. Organic grapes, NO ADDED SULFITE. This wine meets all criteria to be labeled “Organic”. Nothing was added to it. It has a distinctive earthiness and toasted nut overtone, accentuated by a bourbon-like aroma and ripe red fruit flavors. The most “natural” of all our wines. Not filtered, not fined. At bottling: total sulfite 4 ppm, residual sugar <0.1 g/l (totally dry).
2018 HIPPIE SYRAH, NAPA VALLEY. 100% Syrah. 14.12% alcohol, 68 cases, $30. Estate bottled, made with organic grapes. Here, the ‘wild’ yeast behaved themselves during a peaceful anti-establishment fermentation. We added a little sulfite to the one third that underwent two weeks of carbonic maceration. For a “Hippie” wine, it’s pretty square, with spicy American oak character and Napa depth of flavor, but it does have a little dank streak any Deadhead could love. Ingredients: Organic grapes, water, sulfite. Not filtered, not fined. At bottling: total sulfite 37 ppm, residual sugar <0.1 g/l (dry).
2017 BÜNTER “NATUR” SYRAH, COOMBSVILLE, NAPA VALLEY. 100% Syrah, Estate bottled. 13.27% alcohol, 50 cases, $30. Organic grapes, 50% carbonic maceration. Subtle, delicious, complex, with superb balance and a structure that complements many foods, and never overwhelms the palate. Definitely different from Cab, but familiar enough that any red wine lover could embrace it. Ingredients: Organic grapes, water, sulfite. Not fined, not filtered. At bottling: total SO2 39 ppm, residual sugar <0.1 g/l (bone dry).
Winemaker’s Note
About sulfites: Most wines, especially young wines, naturally contain small amounts of sulfite, on the order of ten or so parts per million (ppm), as do the cells in your own body, as well as does a chicken egg. Because higher levels of sulfite are an effective preservative, additional sulfite is added to many foods, and to most wines. Exactly how much more varies widely. Most commercially available U.S. wines probably have around 80 to 150 parts per million measured as total sulfur dioxide, white wines generally having more added to them than reds. In the U.S. the legal limit is 350 ppm. Wines labeled “Certified Organic” are legally limited to no more than 10 ppm. Wines labeled “Made with Organic Grapes” are limited to 100 ppm. “Natural” wines are not regulated, other than if they contain more than 10 ppm the label must say “Contains Sulfites”, but in all these cases, the actual level need not be disclosed. The consensus (IF such a thing exists) among the Natural Wine crowd is the less the better. We get around the confusing labeling laws and bickering by stating what exactly the level of sulfite is in each of our wines.
Many of our wines are unfiltered. None of our wines are treated, as most commercial wines are, to prevent them from possibly precipitating cream of tartar if the wine is chilled below a certain temperature. Cream of tartar, used in baking, also called potassium bitartrate, is a crystalline salt of the tartaric acid that is naturally present in grapes. If you do chill our wine, and see white crystals, flakes, chunky or fine powder, they are harmless.
For our red wines, we recommend decanting. Decanting will aerate and “open” most young red wines, improving aroma and flavor. For older wines it allows you to separate the sediment from the wine, if you are careful. If not decanted, please handle the bottle gently and pour carefully, especially as you near the end of the bottle. In the case of wines older than about ten years, a double prong or AhSo, or air or gas injection needle style opener may be better than a screw with fragile, crumbly corks. Enjoy!