James Lance loves making Pet Nat-style natural sparkling wines, but for 2021, he wanted to make 'absolutely the best Pet Nat that we could', including disgorging the wine like a more traditional sparkling to get the bubbles exactly right. Still unfiltered and made with minimal intervention, the result is a tangy but polished sparkling that is lemony, creamy and nutty all at once. Fascinating wine!

After a two-year search, the Lance family came across a site with poor, thin soils riddled with rock - not exactly campsite material, but it was good as gold for the Lance family. Twenty acres of sloping land in the hamlet of St Andrews, Yarra Valley, in a natural amphitheatre 280m above sea level and just the right amount of sun. This became Lance Vineyard, run by James and Claire Lance, under the hard-hitting label known as Punch. Patience is key from vineyard to cellar. The vineyard is managed obsessively, following organic and holistic systems. Minimal intervention is the way in the cellar, which includes harnessing natural yeasts, gravity settling, and slow élevage in barrel. After bottling, wines are held back to show their very best upon release. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet comprise the core range from the Lance vineyard. Meanwhile, as the name suggests, the Friends of Punch range is the fruit of lasting friendships in the region, extending the offering to include Pinot Gris, Semillon, Shiraz, and even a sticky number. Best to try some, you’ll be pleased as…