Bar & Bites: Underwater world of wine sees WA companies go deep to create unique drops

Sure, you could cellar your wine in an underground vault or cave, or you could lower it to 10 fathoms (around 18m) and let the ocean currents do the work. At least two WA companies are using undersea fermentation to create unique wines. Subsea Estate is the first winemaking company in the Southern Hemisphere to use techniques developed by French winemaker Winereef to ferment and mature wines in specially designed underwater vats. Subsea sales and marketing manager Simon Hanley says this method has unique benefits. “Maintained in suspension and under pressure, the yeast breaks down differently to how it does on land,” the qualified wine marker and judge says. “The constant motion and the pressure of the water at a depth of 15-20m impart technical transformations to the wine that cannot be replicated on land. “Then there’s the benefits of the consistently low temperature of the Southern Ocean.” After undergoing secondary fermentation in the underwater vats, the wine returns to dry land to be filtered and bottled. Karridale farm-to-table restaurant and cellar door Glenarty Road uses an in-bottle method for its ocean-matured Fathoms Cuvee, and recently retrieved the 2022 vintage after the sparkling wine spent 18 months under the sea. Co-owner and chef Sasha McDonald told B&B that around 2000 bottles in crates are submerged at a time. Currents gently rock the bottles, naturally stirring the lees to build layers of complexity and create a “textural and expressive” sparkling wine. The resurfaced Fathoms Cuvee is then hand disgorged and carefully packed to retain the ocean encrustation. Yes, the bottles have barnacles. Glenarty Road launches the 2022 vintage, which sells for around $220 in a speccy box designed by Clint Sutherland at Ton Studio, with a special five-course dinner on December 7. Visit glenartyroad.com.au for more. CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY Is it that time of the year already? If the looming prospect of cooking Christmas lunch is overwhelming, let the team at the State Buildings in the CBD do the hard work. December 25 dining options range from the literal top of town with head chef Paul Wilson at Wildflower for $295 per person to a Thai feast at Long Chim for $175 a head. In between, Petition and Post both serve up meals imbued with festive spirit for under $200, while the sumptuous Cape Arid Rooms offer an afternoon tea with all the trimmings for $145 per person. Head to statebuildings.com for more. FUN GUYS JOIN FORCES Popular Lathlain wine bar Cosy Del’s and Kardinya-based producer The Mushroom Guys team up for a collaborative dinner on December 7. Guided by the teams from both entities, the five-course feast will showcase the finest fungi of the season. Dishes will include burrata with swordbelt mushroom trifolati and lion’s mane schnitzel. Tickets and more information from cosydels.com.au.