Yamilé

The blend takes its name from Yamilé Abad, a Peruvian oenologist and fermentation expert whom MURI describes as a friend of the company. She travelled to Copenhagen to work with MURI on a project making chicha de jora, a black corn beer. During that visit she taught the team the technique of dry carbonic maceration, which was then used in this blend, and she also helped with its early-stage experimentation. Murray Paterson has described her as the most knowledgeable person on fermentation he has ever met. MURI says the final blend reflects the characteristics of its namesake: fun, bubbly and complex.^{[1],[2],[3],[4]}

The declared ingredient list is water, gooseberry juice, raspberries, sugar, smoked rhubarb, honey, goldenrod, angelica root, star anise, salt, pink peppercorn and yeast.^[2]

Gooseberry-Honey Mead — Base. Yamilé is based on a gooseberry mead, with the honey fermented into mead using a cultivated yeast. MURI states that the honey brings roundness to the blend.^[2],[5]

Carbonic-Macerated Raspberry — Fruit Core. Whole raspberries are carbonic macerated for a week, and the resulting fermented fruit is infused into the gooseberry mead base.^[5]

Svendborg Vinrabarber — Smoked Rhubarb. The rhubarb is Svendborg Vinrabarber (Svendborg Wine Rhubarb), an old Danish variety originating from Funen and grown on the island of Fyn, sourced from organic grower Michael Balle in Denmark. MURI selected it for its bright, rounded acidity, noting that it carries lower oxalic acid than many modern cultivars, giving a softer, rounder, crisp and juicy acidity. After harvest the rhubarb is cold-pressed without heating, freezing or enzymes to preserve the ingredient as directly as possible. It is then salted, lacto-fermented and cold smoked over beechwood in MURI's own smokery.^[5],[6],[7]

Goldenrod & Pink Peppercorn Water Kefir — Aromatic Layer. Goldenrod, an anise-like flowering plant that grows wild in Danish forests, is a key botanical in Yamilé and is foraged for MURI. It is combined with pink peppercorn in a water kefir. The pink peppercorns are blanched from cold seven times to remove harsh flavours, a technique MURI likens to the treatment of garlic.^[4],[5]

Angelica Root & Star Anise — Aromatic Depth. MURI credits goldenrod, angelica root and star anise with adding aromatic depth to the blend. Star anise and blanched pink peppercorns are described as finishing elements of the blend.^[2]

Nose. MURI describes a nose of overripe golden tomato and red fruit, opening with soft red fruit and fresh raspberry, followed by creamy smoke and delicate spice.^[2],[8]

Palate. The palate is described as salty smoke with gentle raspberry acidity: dry and refreshing, with fine bubbles and a rounded texture. The overall profile is bright and tart with smoky, fruity and savoury layers, and the drink is characterised as a dry sparkling rosé mead with soft red fruit character and unexpected depth including gentle smoky, savoury and salty notes. The finish is complex and lingering, marked by pink peppercorn and aromatic botanicals.^[2],[9]

Structure. Structural points stated by MURI:^[2]

• Sweetness: dry
• Acidity: gentle raspberry acidity; bright and tart
• Body: rounded texture, fine bubbles
• Complexity: complex; smoky, fruity and savoury layers
• Length: lingering finish of pink peppercorn and aromatic botanicals

MURI recommends Yamilé with cured or smoked fish, or with meats and vegetables charred on the BBQ.^[8]

Specifications. Classification and format figures stated for the blend:^[1],[9]

• Style: energetic sparkling rosé; a rosé mead
• ABV: 0.4%

Production. The rhubarb for Yamilé is smoked in MURI's in-house smokery.^[10]

Ingredients Policy. Yamilé is not suitable for vegans.^[11]