2017 Skerk Carso Ograde
Community Tasting Note
bevetroppo wrote:
Saturday, February 1, 2020 - I have no vocabulary for this wine-drinking experience. I might have had a shot at the country from the front label, but it would only have been a guess and it wouldn't have been Italy on the first try. I am not sure, but I think Skerk is the producer and Ograde the name of the wine. Thanks to the back label, I see it's a field blend of equal parts vitovska (?!), malvasia, sauvignon and pinot grigio.
And the electric orange color? Like nothing I've ever seen before. I suspect the wine is largely natural but that color looks like it escaped from a lava lamp or like slightly dilute orange Kool Aid.
Since I have no familiarity with vitovska, it's hard to attribute any varietal accuracy to the nose, which definitely smells like something. It would take more patience and interest than I possess to unpack it: candied orange like those jelly things your grandmother used to buy, lots of pith, buzzy pinot grigio notes, I'm sure a better, more motivated taster would find more.
It tastes like a pithy, bitter orange pinot grigio to me, more like a Negroni in color and profile than a typical wine. So despite the fact that I pride myself on being both open-minded and informed about wine in general, I can't say I get this. Or better said, I'm pretty sure I won't get it again. Glad to know that orange wine exists, and equally glad someone else will be drinking it.
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4 comments have been posted
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Comment posted by KillerJones:
2/1/2020 4:58:00 PM - I howled when I read your review! Many thanks – I needed that. ‘Lava lamp’ color? From Italy? What are they thinking?
This grape is on my “to-do” list…most of my friends seem to either love it or hate it. Funny how polarizing it is. You did a great job in painting your (disdainful) experience so clearly for me.
I do recall those candied orange jellies from when I was young – thanks for that! 😊
Comment posted by bevetroppo:
2/2/2020 6:18:00 AM - KJ-I used to write these tasting notes just to amuse myself. If I occasionally make you laugh, I'm doubling the impact. I'm glad for the company. I will probably pump the brakes on my investigation into vitovska, but by all means, avanti!-B
Comment posted by winebunch:
9/8/2023 9:55:00 AM - Love the honest comment - for sure not for everyone but just to say I hope this hasn’t put you off trying another Vitovska from the same region! Zidarich another producer to check out - skin contact but not “orange” per se - just salty, mineral and tangy with amazing length and acidity
Comment posted by bevetroppo:
9/8/2023 12:41:00 PM - Hi winebunch. I admit I took a lot of gratuitous shots at what I regarded as a bad wine. I’m sure you’re right about vitovska, the flavor profile you describe is definitely in my sweet spot. And since this was.a blend, clearly vitovska can’t take all the blame. Best, B