Brash Higgins – ZBO

Brash Higgins “ZBO” is a natural wine made with the grape Zibibbo, which is an ancient, aromatic white grape from the Muscat family grown in the warmth of the Mediterranean…and more recently South Australia.

Hand picked, the golf ball sized, bronze fruit was destemmed into waiting terracotta amphorae. A wild ferment ensued with the caps hand plunged twice daily until the ferment finished and the skins sank into the wine. The skins, seeds and juice remained covered in situ for six months. A natural FLOR layer of yeast volunteers itself and covers and helps protect the wine. The ‘free run’ was siphoned off in spring and combined with the pressings. The wine settles before being racked and sent to bottle unfiltered and unfined.

External Review: ‘Cloudy and a diaphanous, pale copper in appearance. The wine is dry yet exudes tantalising herbal, spice and stone fruit aromas. Complex nose of apricot, graphite/pencil shavings, cut ginger, cloves, elderflower, white pepper, Belgian white ale, and wild honey leaps from the glass. On the palate, the wine has a soft entry but with good grip, an earthy sweet chalk/clay element with notes of lemon oil, tangerines, tea and cinnamon apples.’ – Brad Hickey, Vinitor, July 14, 2021.