Words by Tehya Nicholas Images supplied
As summer slowly grinds itself into gear and shakes away the droplets of the wettest spring on record, Victorians are beginning to stock up their esky’s with summertime bevvys. Two Heathcote businesses, Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery, have teamed up to release a line of fresh, sparkling drinks fit for the occasion.
Located in the Central Victorian region of Heathcote, renowned for it’s fertile Cambrian soil and award-winning reds, Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery are neighbouring businesses with old friends at the helm. Spencer Page owns and brews hazy beers at Cornella, while Matt van Run is a winemaker at Shiraz Republic. This season they have joined forces to release three new canned drinks: the New Tinto de Verano Shiraz & Lemon Spritzer, a Skin Contact White Pet Nat and a Grenache Rosé Pet Nat.
Lovers of Spanish cocktails will be familiar with Tinto de Verano Shiraz, a shiraz and lemon spritzer that is lighter than its more familiar cousin Sangria. Brewed to 5% and packaged in a can, Shiraz Republic/Cornella Brewery’s brew sits perfectly alongside a seltzer, beer or fizzer for the Australian summer.
Initially made in small batches for the Shiraz Republic Cellar Door, the Tinto de Verano Shiraz & Lemon Spritzer proved such a crowd-pleaser that Page and van Run began packaging the product at their onsite brewery, initially by hand in bottles. Flash forward a few months and they’re shipping slabs across the country.
“It is the perfect drink to go with a sunny afternoon, at a BBQ, festival or anywhere really. At first, it was a challenge to sell to customers, because it’s a bit out of the ordinary, but once customers taste it, they are hooked. Anyone who has travelled to Spain would recognise Tinto as a classic summery Spanish cocktail. It’s a popular drink worldwide, albeit under the guise of several different monikers and regional names,” said Page.
The other pair of beverages, the French Pétillant Naturel’s—which translates to “naturally sparkling”—are additive, preservative and and sulphite light free wines, each with a crisp, tart flavour. The Skin Contact White features yellow muscat, fermented on skins for five days, then fermented to dry and is tart, with notes of pineapple and lemon myrtle. While the Grenache Rosé, pressed directly off the skins and fermented at a controlled temperature until racking into a tank for carbonation, has notes of peach & strawberry with a subtle, delectable funkiness. Both are canned for the ultimate convenience.
Carefully prepared and beautifully designed, these drinks will pair just as well at your backyard barbeque as with a fancy charcuterie board. All are available to purchase online, at the Shiraz Republic Cellar Door, or at select stockists.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: New release of canned alcoholic drinks
WHERE: Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery
WHEN: Available now
MORE INFO: Shiraz Republic
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