With a perfect crop on the Graciano this year, we have decided to make a crisp, fruity and fresh white wine from the variety’s beautiful purple grapes. Known as a blanc de noir we are optimistic that the result will be extraordinary. If all goes well, the Graciano Blanc de Noir will be available for this summer.

We’ll still make a red wine from the 2024 Graciano as well but having tasted quite a few blanc de noir wines over these past few months, we think it will be fun and fascinating to do something a little different with some of the gorgeously spicy Graciano.

So, how do you make a white wine from red grapes? The answer is carefully! Some red wine grapes such as Graciano, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvigon and Pinor Noir have white flesh. The free-run or lightly pressed juice will emerge as a palest blush if treated gently. As we hand harvest all our grapes, we can minimise damage to fruit and hopefully, avoid colour being extracted from the skins prematurely. We are hoping the Graciano blanc de noir will be beautifully balanced between the velvety mouthfeel of a medium-bodied red wine with aromas of strawberries and raspberries, as well as the spices usually associated with a Graciano. It should also display the crisp freshness of a white variety with white flowers and white peach aromas with great weight and beautiful texture. It will pair well with fish, sushi and dishes with light cheese sauces.

All the colour in the red wine comes from leaving red wine grapes to ferment on their skins. If they are carefully pressed immediately after harvest without any maceration on skins, a blanc de noir (literally “white from black’) can be produced.

Making a still white wine from a red grape variety (Pinor Noir is an example), has been happening for some time in California, Argentina and Germany as an alternative to rosé-style wines. In Champagne and many other wine regions, it has been made as a sparkling wine for many years. The blanc de noir we will make will be a dry, still wine and, we hope, a lovely addition to your selection of summer wines to pair with lighter summer dishes.