Leigh Dryden is a generous man. Always smiling, always enthused about something going on, which, more often than not, is in his glass. He's the chief wine officer of Decante This, importer of a some of the finest and most approachable wines ever to grace Newcastle.
With such an affable grin like his, it's curious to note that one of the more delicious vinos of claret and cerise to appear from his cache of finery from Burgundy and Champagne is a nervy little number from Beaujolais, named Mr. No.
But this is no nouveau. This is gamay as God intended; freshly quenching, vibrant and bright. In a made-up word, smashable.
"Mr No is a really interesting wine for so many reasons. It challenges the normal conventions associated with Beaujolais, in general, and gamay as a red wine," Dryden says.
"I love its edgy almost 'piss take' feel as it snubs tradition, paying homage to the practices of natural wine without sacrificing its quality and identity as a bright, cheeky, lighter styled wine."
Psychologists well know, when wielded wisely, "no" is an instrument of integrity and a shield against exploitation. It often takes courage to say and can be hard to receive. But setting limits sets us free. That is the power of no.
"Mr. No reflects our philosophy of terroir wines with no additives whatsoever. It is just the reflection of fresh aromas from the rocky, pink granitic geology of Brouilly, together with the continental climate of Beaujolais," says Christian Chamos of Domaines Albert Bichot, who produce Mr. No from 100 per cent gamay.
The thing about wine is that everything you need to make it is contained within the grape itself; the sugar that ferments abides inside the juice that resides inside the skin of the grape, which also gives you colour and tannin, and is where the ambient yeast exists which assists with fermentation in the first place.
Unlike beer, the only ingredient you need to make wine is grapes. Thus, as with many other so-called natural wines, which shun the addition of supplements and additives - like, packet yeast for a smoother finish, added tannin for enhanced astringency, either milk, albumen (egg white), or isinglass (dried swim bladders of fish) for a clearer aesthetic, or even added acid for a longer line and length - Mr. No is made from grapes and grapes only.
There's also no trace of any added 220, SO2, or sulphur dioxide. But don't get too hung up about that. Sulphur in wine is not your enemy (drinking cheap, industrial, supermarket wine is).
"In terms of refreshment, Mr. No ticks so many boxes on so many levels," says Dryden, smiling. "It's a well-made, organic wine, with no added sulphites, and no fining or filtering. This, to me, is the future direction of wine that's fresh, easy drinking, affordable and fun."
