A lean bodied, smooth white wine fermented in stainless steel and neutral Hungarian oak barrels. Spontaneously fermented, with battonage performed weekly for the first three months.
Substrata
Variety 80% Louise Swenson; 20% Itasca | ABV 11.5%
Tasting Notes | tropical coconut and warm butter, followed by a singing zing of tart lemon and mineral pithiness
This wine is a blend of two of our white grape varieties, Louise Swenson and Itasca. After destemming and gentle crushing, the Louise began fermentation in stainless steel and the Itasca fermented in neutral Hungarian oak barrels. After several weeks, the two were blended and racked back into barrel for the remainder of fermentation and aging. The wine underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation and aged sur lie, with battonage performed weekly for the first three months.
The 2021 Vintage:
Substrata is a harmonious blend of our cold-hardy white grape varieties - a tapestry of flavor that embodies our winegrowing team's passion for translating our landscape into the bottle and showcasing the potential of cold-hardy hybrid grapes.
On the nose you get notes of lemon cream, coconut, and honeydew melon. oak plays a supporting role, bringing an underpinning of melted butter & vanilla. The first sip will contain echoes of that tropical coconut and warm butter, followed by a singing zing of tart lemon and mineral pithiness.
Making Substrata
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Vermont-grown White Wine
We planted our first block of Louise Swenson at our McCabe’s Brook Vineyard in 2006. The vines are trained to a hi-wire cordon system on 10’x8’ spacing. A slightly western aspect and north-south row orientation allow for maximum sunlight and exposure to prevailing winds. Soils are deep, well drained, sandy/stony loams formed in glacial till derived from limestone, calcareous shale, schist, and quartzite. This vineyard is also the site for trials with organic and biodynamic philosophies.
Substrata wine is co-fermented in neutral oak barrels, where time and nature collaborate to transform raw potential into liquid brilliance. The completion of spontaneous malolactic fermentation adds a layer of depth and complexity. But what truly sets Substrata apart is the delicate dance of battonage.
Battonage, a technique involving the regular stirring of the lees, makes Substrata quite distinct from our other white wines. For 3.5 months, this process unfurls within the oak vessels, nurturing the wine's evolution. Through battonage, the flavors meld and mature, giving Substrata a light silkiness, a luxurious texture that lingers on the tongue.
Always Honest
Transparency is our thing - seriously. Drop us a line here with any questions.
Gluten - Free
Cruelty Free
Responsibly Farmed
Vegan
Made with Handpicked Vermont Grapes
Crafted with minimal intervention using sustainable vineyard management practices
IAPETUS Wines
Our team farms over 15 acres of cold hardy grape vines on three vineyard sites in northern Vermont to make natural wine. Named after the ancient ocean that once covered the present day Champlain Valley, where the roots of our grapes now nestle, IAPETUS creates wine that is inexorably tied to the Vermont soil and landscape.
Using the deep historical context of the soil in which our grapes grow as a backbone, IAPETUS makes natural, minimal intervention wines. We trust our grapes to lead us to something wonderful.
We primarily grow cold-hardy hybrid grape varieties that are best suited to our climate and have natural disease resistance
No spraying of unnecessary chemicals
All grapes are hand harvested, and we minimize the use of machinery in the vineyard to reduce soil compaction
Minimal intervention in the growing process
Our vineyards are never irrigated or tilled
Native grasses and wildflowers are allowed to flourish under the vines, naturally improving soil health
We work with sheep in the vineyard several times per year - they mow the grass and provide natural fertilizer
We don’t use sulfur or chemicals to “correct” things in the wine making process, our wines are unfiltered and unfined.