What we love about Wenzel is ...well…everything! First and foremost is that he makes pure, delightfully clean natural wine. Second is his story, that of a passionate, successful winemaker who had a philosophical revelation. A natural winemaker’s job is to cultivate vitality he says. “I call natural wine the product of pure, unadulterated fermented grape juice. Organic farming is simply the prerequisite.” Michael stopped using any synthetic pesticides and began to rely entirely on native yeasts. “Natural yeasts are - and it took me a long time to realize this - the real winemakers. My responsibility as a winemaker is to respect nature.” They removed all metal from their vineyard. Each vine has wooden support tied with a natural, biodegradable hemp ribbon. They began to prune their vines short, lower to the ground, so nutrients travel more easily into the vine. Their vines are densely planted to foster healthy competition, increasing phenolics and keeping sugar levels low. Michael says this creates a more “harmonious” and balanced wine. “Good natural wine is not filling. There are many wines that you have had enough of after one glass. Natural wine ... has to be light and drinkable.”

A rare and highly anticipated bottling from Michael Wenzel. No. 6 is Sauvignon Blanc rooted in gneiss soils with little soil cover. It is a wine of contemplation and emotion. One to slowly savor with notes of white flower, herbs and citrus and a salty satisfying finish full of crisp rock-driven minerality. Native yeast fermentation and as always it is unfined and unfiltered.