# Rumble in the Jungle (2022)

- **Producer:** Kobatl
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sauvignac
- **Region:** Steiermark, Austria
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €24
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry, elderflower, mint, white pepper, toast, chocolate, coffee

## About this wine

Kobatl is a natural garage winery located in Tieschen, in Austria's Vulkanland Steiermark region. Winemaker Michael ('Michl') Gingl transformed his family's traditional agricultural farm into an estate dedicated to sustainable viticulture. To address the humid regional climate, the winery exclusively cultivates fungus-resistant PIWI grape varieties like Sauvignac, which significantly reduces the need for vineyard sprays. The estate's soils feature weathered volcanic rock and basalt.

## Interesting facts

- The estate converted a former cow barn into a winery cellar, a horse stable into an archive, and a pigsty into a tasting room.
- The winery uses five named sheep—Hanni, Franni, Ganni, Sanni, and Nanni—for natural grass and weed management.
- Sauvignac is a modern fungus-resistant PIWI grape created from a cross of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and a wild resistant vine.

## Food pairing

The vibrant natural acidity and subtle herbal, mineral character of Sauvignac pair seamlessly with fresh herbs, citrus-infused dressings, and light proteins. The texture from full lees contact balances raw fish, sushi, and delicate white meats, while the wine's aromatic lift cuts through moderate richness without masking delicate food flavors.

## Wine making process

The Sauvignac grapes were hand-harvested in small crates on September 23, 2022. Vinification began with 4 days of cold maceration on skins, followed by deliberate must oxidation before spontaneous fermentation using native yeasts in used oak barrels of 300L, 500L, and 600L capacity. The wine aged 12 months on full lees, then spent another 9 months on fine lees post-blending. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimal SO2 addition at bottling.