Van Hunks Sparkling Mead Launches in the UK and Europe
Van Hunks have launched (17th September) a Brut Sparkling Mead and a Brut Rosé Sparkling Mead in the UK and Europe. Made in South Africa with only three ingredients (honey, yeast and water), Van Hunks is one of the few makers in the world to have successfully achieved a consistent bottle fermented mead. Designed for those whose palates have matured away from sugary-sweet drinks, Van Hunks Sparkling Mead is unexpectedly dry with refined bubbles.
The first two Van Hunks expressions are a white sparkling mead and a rosé sparkling mead fermented with hibiscus. The meads are produced using honey from honeybees which feast on Fynbos wildflowers in the smallest floral kingdom in the world. Van Hunks uses a patented dry fermentation process to ferment the honey resulting in a completely dry base mead. No artificial flavourings or additional sugar are added to Van Hunks Sparkling Meads, tapping into the trend for healthier, lower sugar serves.
Van Hunks Sparkling Mead is dry and refreshing, with hints of floral overtones of South Africa’s famous Fynbos and is best enjoyed as a pre-dinner aperitif and as an alternative to sparkling wine.
The small-batch sparkling mead is inspired by the legend, Van Hunks, and created out of the natural splendour of Cape Town and its surroundings. The meadery is based at the foot of Table Mountain reserve in South Africa.
Tom Gamborg, Founder, Van Hunks and Skäl Drinks says: “Our vision is to bring the energy, excitement and intrigue from the Spirits world and use it to refresh a tired Sparkling category. We have focused on the beauty of our product and brand story to change how consumers view mead, and plan to do what Prosecco did to sparkling wine, with no sugar and our authentic craft credentials.”
Matt Krone, Master Wine Maker and co-founder of Van Hunks says: “Mead is an all-natural untapped product that has huge potential for growth. The next generation of consumers is looking for healthier products containing less sugar. That means the time for mead is now. Van Hunks is a sparkling mead charged with the natural beauty of Cape Town.”
As legend has it, Van Hunks was notorious for escaping the ordinary and had a keen imagination and tenacious spirit. Pipe packed and drink in hand, he would stroll through the Fynbos and scale the sandstone mountain cliffs in search of the perfect perch and contemplate the beauty of it all. The story goes that he out-witted the devil in a smoking competition, but not before the smoke that they had made had covered the mountain, forming the famous tablecloth cloud on Table Mountain. In truth, the tablecloth cloud is created by the warm south-easterly breeze rising up the mountain slopes, meeting colder air at higher altitude. Condensation takes place and a thick mist soon coats the upper-most regions of the mountain, which waters the flowers Van Hunks’ bees feast on.
Van Hunks Sparkling Mead RRP: £25 ABV: 12.5%
Available to pre-order from: www.vanhunksdrinks.com
