# Alibi (2023)

- **Producer:** Kapitel Zwei
- **Colour:** orange
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner
- **Region:** Niederösterreich, Austria
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, peach, apricot, orange, ginger, fennel, yeast, bread, dried apricot, honey, wet leaves

## About this wine

Kapitel Zwei is an exciting natural wine project based in the Niederösterreich region of Austria, spearheaded by winemaker Chris Sciacca. The estate is dedicated to low-intervention, biodynamic farming and cellar practices, aiming to produce wines that are vibrant, expressive, and deeply reflective of their terroir. 'Alibi' represents a creative departure from traditional Austrian blends, marrying the country's flagship Grüner Veltliner with Chenin Blanc, a grape rarely seen in this part of Europe. This combination results in a wine of exceptional character, energy, and structural complexity.

## Interesting facts

- An unusual Austrian blend combining the native Grüner Veltliner with the Loire Valley's signature Chenin Blanc.
- Crafted by winemaker Chris Sciacca using strict low-intervention and natural winemaking philosophies.
- Bottled completely unfined and unfiltered to preserve the wine's raw energy and texture.

## Food pairing

The skin-contact texture, vibrant acidity, and complex aromatics of this orange wine make it incredibly versatile. It has enough structure to cut through rich proteins like pork or duck, while its herbal and stone fruit notes pair beautifully with spiced or aromatic dishes.

## Wine making process

The grapes for Alibi are hand-harvested from sustainably managed vineyards in Niederösterreich. In the cellar, the winemaking process embraces a hands-off philosophy. A portion of the grapes undergoes skin maceration (skin contact) to extract color, phenolic structure, and complex aromatics, characteristic of the orange wine style. Fermentation occurs spontaneously using only native yeasts in neutral vessels. The wine is aged on its fine lees to build texture and mouthfeel. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, with no or minimal sulfur added, preserving its natural cloudiness and raw vitality.