A Splash of Orange

As the category of natural, minimal intervention wine continues to grow, winemakers are increasingly turning to an age-old winemaking practice in their white wine production. Before we had all of this technology at our fingertips, winemaking in the ancient world was a simple practice - organically grown grapes, stems, and seeds were put into a terracotta vessel and allowed to naturally ferment with their own wild yeasts. The method, with evidence dating back 8,000 years ago in Georgia, was basic; no barrels, no steel tanks, no temperature controlled vats or gentle bladder presses, just grapes and clay vessels. And of course, the same process was used for both red and white wines resulting in whites that weren't actually white but had color from the skin contact usually with an orangish hue.

Documentation from the 1800's shows that northern Italy and neighboring Slovenia have historically used a similar method to produce their white wines to increase their flavor and durability. The name "Ramato" or copper Italian, refers to the color of skin-fermented Pinot Grigio which was the only production method used until the 1950's. But the modernization of winemaking brought stainless steel tanks and cultured yeast which eventually lead to the fresh, watery clear Pinot Grigio that we know today.

The present-day production of orange wine or skin-fermented whites was revived a few decades ago by Friuli producers, Stanislao Radikon and Josko Gravner who felt the white wines of the region had the potential to be much more expressive than the confines of conventional winemaking allowed. They both turned to the old methods for inspiration - no chemicals or fertilizers in the vineyards, maceration on the skins, natural yeasts and no added sulfur. With Radikon, all phases of the vinifications are in Slavonian oak barrels as his grandfather did in the 1930's while Gravner turned to the clay amphora still used by Georgian winemakers. The result was a dramatically different wine and initially, their conversion to these old methods was very unpopular taking years for consumers and critics to embrace the style.

Since then, orange wines have gone from obscure to edging on mainstream, with winemakers from France to New York experimenting with the style. As you can probably guess, this method of winemaking can be a bit tricky and the results can vary greatly. The color can be golden, bright amber, peach, or rust, even brownish; the tastes range from fresh-cut apricots, spice, and herbs to tangy, smoky, nutty, and savory, with more intense aromas and the texture and structure of reds without the heaviness.

If you are intrigued by the concept but don’t know what to buy or already a fan and looking for something new, call us at 504 304 0635 and we are happy to recommend something that you can add to your next walk in, pick up or delivery order!