LOVEBLOCK

At the heart of Lovelock’s practice is deep commitment to organic farming and environmental care, from soil to bottle.

As Organic wine farmers, Erica & Kim Crawford don’t only grow grapes; instead they follow a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to farming, rooted in the integration of science and the spirits in nature. This includes healthy balanced soil, undisturbed by chemicals and bolstered by regenerative practice, incorporation of animals in the vineyards, biodiverse flora plantings to create a resistant environment and extensive use of compost instead of commercial fertilisers.

This practice forces one to stand back and observe, to perform tasks when the vines are ready, not when equipment is available. The Crawfords apply this thoughtfulness end to end. Lighter bottles make total sense: it requires less glass, lighter carboard boxes and importantly, less fuel to freight it from winery to destination. A whopping 15% has been shaved of their carbon footprint by the change to a lighter bottle.

In the winery, a third of the grapes ferment in clay amphorae, concrete eggs and oak barrels, the rest in the more traditional stainless steel tanks. The low SO2 in Organic wine gives a softer feel, and together, these elements make for more subtle aromas or nose, drawing focus to texture and mouth feel. This is especially obvious in the Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc with its layers of complexity and texture.

In the search for further omission of additives to wine, the Crawfords have explored the use of tannin as an antioxidant to protect the wine from oxidation instead of using the traditional SO2. Loveblock TEE Sauvignon Blanc shows flavours not always associated with Sauvignon Blanc – cumin, saffron and its trademark juicy peach. Worth a try even if Sauvignon is not usually your thing!