Wild & Wilder, Cloud Cuckoo Land, Red Blend 2021, Riverland, Australia

Producer Profile

Wild & Wilder is all about good clean fun. Working hand in hand with their merry (in a good season) band of growers, they craft wines of supreme quality but don’t take it all too seriously.

Great fruit, grown by great people and made with a lot of love by people that know that wine is all about the good times, delicious food and creating great memories. Founded by Giles Cooke MW & Fergal Tynan MW, who also make the Thistledown wines, the mundane is just not in their DNA. Being involved in every stage of the winemaking process from bud burst to bottle means that every bottle from Wild & Wilder is an experience you’ll want to try again.

Viticulture

Cloud Cuckoo Land is an imaginary state of absurd over optimism – something that all those at Wild & Wilder are often accused of. Indeed, not so long ago, if they had said that we wanted to make high quality, low intervention wines made from Mediterranean varieties in the Riverland, Cloud Cuckoo land is exactly where people would have said that they lived! But, they believe that anything is possible if you don’t see the obstacles, you challenge the “received wisdom” and resist the naysayers. Cloud Cuckoo Land is for everyone who feels the same.

Winemaking

Co-fermented using wild yeasts with gentle hand plunging twice daily before pressing and ageing in older oak for 3 months prior to bottling.

Tasting Note

An unusual blend of varieties but this wine has the characteristic energy you’d expect from Italian reds. Deliciously succulent with smoky, dark cherry fruit, subtle spice and a mouth-watering finish.

Food Matching

Steak and venison, or autumn casseroles

Awards

The Wine Front 90 Points

Montepulciano 60%, Nero 28%, Barbera 12% from Riverland. The name Riverland would give you quite a different impression from the reality of the landscape, perhaps. Cherry, a little black jelly bean/anise thing, subtle paprika smokiness. It’s light to medium-bodied, fresh, with light grip of tannin, some juiciness and saltbush, and a crisp finish of good length. It’s fun, and good to drink. I think 2021 a good vintage for this wine. 90 Points, GW, 2022