Gloriville 'Villages, Heart of the Plain (Taraxacum Officinale)'

85% Longyan, 9% Chenin Blanc, 6% Petit Manseng from 2022 and 2023 vintages. The 2022 Longyan & Petit Manseng are macerated for 45 days and aged in old oak for 16 months, whilst the 2023 Longyan & Chenin Blanc are macerated for 45 days and aged in oak for 5 months. Zero sulphur.

Longyan, also called Dragon’s Eye, is a v. vinifera variety grown in China for over 800 years. It buds late and turns red-skinned as it matures. 

Bordering the Yangzte & Sanggan Rivers, Chengzi’s family story is consistent with many others in the region - 10 hectares of vineyards planted in 1999 to serve large wineries, particularly Great Wall Wine Co. Growing up at the family Winery, Chengzi wasn’t destined to become a winemaker. However after discovering the ‘natural wine’ trend in 2013, Chengzi took control of the family estate, transitioning their vineyard away from the dwindling high-volume market to instead produce independent cuvées. By 2018, Chengzi had implemented organic farming principles and planted new varieties to experiment, and by 2023 he had committed to biodynamic principles. Now, with a modest 20,000 bottles a year, Chengzi’s wines are as anti-establishment and independent as it gets. Nothing is filtered, and no new oak is used.