Matthew Rorick is one of California's rockabilly winemaking superstars.
His love for the unloved and obscure varieties dotted around his homeland combined with his stripped-back, bare-knuckle winemaking style have seen his small batches of 'Rare Creatures' develop a feverish cult following in the US of A.
For an Australian point of reference, think Ochota Barrels meets Billy Button and you're heading in the right direction.
In 2017 Rorick dropped into the Barossa Valley to catch up with friend and colleague Jaysen Collins (Massena Wines). Some sexy old-vine fruit made itself available. Rorick couldn't resist the chance to make a couple of wines from this alien patch of earth. And so, Songs From Mars was born.
There are two releases for the first instalment of Songs From Mars: the Black Sallad skinsy white field blend and the SG Shiraz Grenache.
Both hail from old vineyard sources, they were made with no additions aside a touch of S02 at bottling. Lo-fi, detail-focused winemaking meets precious old vine fruit - it's a killer combination.
A palpable driving energy pulses through the veins of both the white and the red release. They show a seductive modern face of the Barossa that make it difficult to not draw parallels with New Wave Barossa icons Ruggabellus, Spinifex etc.
A ludicrously small production of both make these indeed rare birds of a different feather. Only 60 dozen of the red was produced and even less of the white.
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Jump now for your chance to sample these brilliant new additions to the rich tapestry of the Barossa Valley. You likely won't forget them any time soon.