Deep orange in color (natch!). Butterscotch, thick-petaled flowers, nuts, hint of tropicalia all come together on the nose and palate. Big full mouthfeel, and just enough acidity. Lingering finish with a moderate tannic structure cleans up the end. A food wine to be sure, but quite a pleasant drink on its own. Drink now or hold to 2016 if you want to see how it does.
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Significantly nicer than the 2011. This is bone dry, great flavour profile with lots of savoury notes to go along with the bright fruit and tropical notes.
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About a year after having had the first bottle, the second bottle has proven to be as good as the first but in slightly different ways. Everything has mellowed a bit. If the fruit had faded less I would have given this a 90 or 91 but I'll stick with 89. Because while the fruit I enjoyed has faded some, so has the sharpish oak edge.
It really is a unique wine that is distinctly not a white wine nor a red. It seems that none was offered this year, but I will grab more if newer vintages pop up in the future.
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Opened this bottle almost a year from the day I bought it. Left is sitting for 15 min. at room temp. Bottle was never cooled. Bouquet is not as aromatic compared to when I consumed the first bottle. Tastes a lot more mellow. First bottle was quite tannic. This current bottle is definitely creamier, vanilla is pronounced with an initial hint of sweetness. Still very good. Current vintage is 2010 so I think end of shelf life is 2014.
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Still not quite sure what to make of this wine. Popped and let air in the bottle for 30 minutes and come up more to room temp. Upon first taste it just seemed very disjointed to me tart/bitter overtones. After a little while in the glass it mellowed out a bit into some nice fruit, slightly floral flavors. A little more time in the glass and I was finally getting the butterscotch/banana cream pie flavors that others have noted, though I would lean it more towards a creme brulie with a hint of nutmeg.
This is definitely still an interesting wine. Not amazing, but interesting. It definitely needs some decant time IMHO to open up properly. Still have 2 more bottles to see how this one will evolve.
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Deep orange color. Faint floral honey nutty nose. Dry butterscotch and non-oxidized Sherry on the palate. Good long finish that comes through even with food. And an excellent food wine it is. Best with more of a chill than a red, but not cold.
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Similiar to my first review this was an interesting bottle that only requires a slight chill and has a true butterscotch flavor to it. This quite the conversation piece bottle and I love pulling it out with people that are only slightly experienced with wine.
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This is unique. Definitely drink this more at room temperature (however you define that). Chilled does not do it justice. My first bottle (of 3 total) of this Orange wine made in a red style from Chardonnay (60%) and Viognier (40%). I can definitely taste the tannin from the skin contact. A good thing. As someone else noted there is a bit of petrol to this which is not a good thing. This will not appeal to a lot of people. I look forward to the next 2 to see how it evolves.
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I really enjoy trying to figure this wine out. I seems this doesn't need to be chilled down and I much prefer this wine warmer than most Chards that I drink. When it is to cold I feel like the nose is muted and not near as enjoyable as when it is warmer and the oaky butterscotch flavors start to show up. The mouth on this show wonderfull firmness with a hint of tart. I am curious to see this wine age and change. This is the type of wine that could handle a fuller flavored meal and I can't wait to try it again with something as simple as a nice juicy burger.
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What to say about this wine? It's... interesting. The color is, well, a bit orange in hue. The nose smells faintly of petrol and vinegar (faulty perhaps?). On the palette there's not much fruit, but it's medium bodied, dry and somewhat tannic from the maceration. Definitely like nothing else you've ever drank. I don't think this will ever win a lot of fans, but it went well with our tuna steaks.
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Nice clear golden to pale amber color and kind of a floral-citrus nose, dry with perhaps only a touch of what might be perceived as sweetness, but really isn't. Enough acid so it isn't at all flabby, perhaps tart would be a good descriptor with only a bit of tannic finish.
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This is one of the first wines with an aroma that I could easily identify...butterscotch. I detected a bit of oak as well. The wine is a lovely clear golden amber. Tannin was soft but present, same for the acid. Fruity but not jammy, with sweet citrus (like oranges) dominating. It has body, but it's not buttery. My only complaint was that there was a bit more oak spice than I would care for.
All told a unique and appealing wine, and if the oak spice fades just a bit with time, it will push my rating past the 90 barrier. If it comes up on Woot again, I will definitely buy more.
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This was excellent! Tasted of a floral Chardonnay with balanced oak. Seemed slightly sweet due to the fruitiness from the vigonier. Good depth and freshness. Liked by all.
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This 'orange wine' is new to me.. white grapes made in the style of red wine, and what a pleasant surprise. A clear orange-sunset colour. This wine is a 60% Chardonnay, 40% Viognier blend. It is definitely an after dinner wine, and is best just slightly chilled. A medium wine that only got better over the course of the evening.
Very pleasing aroma of spices, clove and nutmeg. Tropical fruit, honey and anise flavours, with an almost brandy-like taste. A very interesting wine. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Couldn't resist, opened one immediately after getting it from woot. Tasting notes from winery quite accurate. Spicy. Really enjoyed it as a wine and for the novelty.
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This Sebastiani wine was a holiday exclusive to wine.woot that quickly sold out, and I hope it becomes an annual tradition as it turned out to be phenomenal!!
Although it's called the "Big Orange Crusher" there are no oranges involved in this wine, what makes it an orange wine is the way it was made. Here's notes from the winery:
"This unique Orange wine was crafted by fermenting the juice of Chardonnay and Viognier grapes with their grape skins and seeds; much like how red wines are made. Fermenting “on the skins” and oak aging assisted in creating this hearty highly-structured wine. Soft chalky tannins and rich mouth-filling structure on the mid-palate make this wine simply delicious. Warm rich aromas of butterscotch, toasted oak, banana cream pie and dried mango entice the senses. Smooth and succulent flavors of lemon verbena, orange creamcicle, anise and cedar wood take hold of this wine while toasted almond nuances linger through the finish."
First bottle was chilled in the fridge, PnP'd, and served with Orange chicken (just a coincidence). On the nose were an array of aromas - citrus, baking spices, crème brûlée, tropical fruit, wow very nice. These carry to the palate, with an variety of additional flavors that develop and change over time. As the temp dropped, it opened up with flavors of baked banana creme pie, even hints of coconut. Wonderful mouth fill, silky smooth tannins, just a fantastic wine! I wish I'd purchased more before it sold out, but who knew it would be such a treasure. The tasting notes from the winery are, IMHO, very accurate (especially with the wine closer to room temp vs chilled).
As this was produced like a red wine, it'll be interesting to see how it'll evolve in the bottle.
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Purchased from wine.woot. Wine is best consumed when temps are slightly chilled to room temp as it is quite tannic and can overpower the flavors if ice-cold. I paired it with baked chicken wings flavored with BBQ sauce and spicy Thai chili paste. Wine is light but gives a nice mouthy feel. There are hints of oak/vanilla but mostly fruit flavored and leaves a nice aftertaste. Wine is also very aromatic, I could seriously spend all day sniffing it. Ice-cold temps give a slight vanilla, orangery scent. Let the wine sit for a bit and a scent reminiscent of pink bubble gum comes out.
Outstanding wine overall. Per winemaker on wine woot forums, ageing the wine will bring out oak flavors so looking forward to letting rest of the bottles sit for a while.
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11/16/2016 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
Last bottle, sorry to see them gone, but all were enjoyed.
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9/3/2013 - iByron Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep orange in color (natch!). Butterscotch, thick-petaled flowers, nuts, hint of tropicalia all come together on the nose and palate. Big full mouthfeel, and just enough acidity. Lingering finish with a moderate tannic structure cleans up the end. A food wine to be sure, but quite a pleasant drink on its own. Drink now or hold to 2016 if you want to see how it does.
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8/31/2013 - klezman wrote:
Significantly nicer than the 2011. This is bone dry, great flavour profile with lots of savoury notes to go along with the bright fruit and tropical notes.
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1/4/2013 - yorknh Likes this wine: 89 Points
About a year after having had the first bottle, the second bottle has proven to be as good as the first but in slightly different ways. Everything has mellowed a bit. If the fruit had faded less I would have given this a 90 or 91 but I'll stick with 89. Because while the fruit I enjoyed has faded some, so has the sharpish oak edge.
It really is a unique wine that is distinctly not a white wine nor a red. It seems that none was offered this year, but I will grab more if newer vintages pop up in the future.
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10/21/2012 - woot842 wrote: 91 Points
Opened this bottle almost a year from the day I bought it. Left is sitting for 15 min. at room temp. Bottle was never cooled. Bouquet is not as aromatic compared to when I consumed the first bottle. Tastes a lot more mellow. First bottle was quite tannic. This current bottle is definitely creamier, vanilla is pronounced with an initial hint of sweetness. Still very good. Current vintage is 2010 so I think end of shelf life is 2014.
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10/10/2012 - North316 wrote: 86 Points
Still not quite sure what to make of this wine. Popped and let air in the bottle for 30 minutes and come up more to room temp. Upon first taste it just seemed very disjointed to me tart/bitter overtones. After a little while in the glass it mellowed out a bit into some nice fruit, slightly floral flavors. A little more time in the glass and I was finally getting the butterscotch/banana cream pie flavors that others have noted, though I would lean it more towards a creme brulie with a hint of nutmeg.
This is definitely still an interesting wine. Not amazing, but interesting. It definitely needs some decant time IMHO to open up properly. Still have 2 more bottles to see how this one will evolve.
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9/24/2012 - iByron wrote: 87 Points
Deep orange color. Faint floral honey nutty nose. Dry butterscotch and non-oxidized Sherry on the palate. Good long finish that comes through even with food. And an excellent food wine it is. Best with more of a chill than a red, but not cold.
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5/5/2012 - NEwino wrote: 89 Points
Similiar to my first review this was an interesting bottle that only requires a slight chill and has a true butterscotch flavor to it. This quite the conversation piece bottle and I love pulling it out with people that are only slightly experienced with wine.
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3/25/2012 - BlackIce wrote: 87 Points
This is unique. Definitely drink this more at room temperature (however you define that). Chilled does not do it justice. My first bottle (of 3 total) of this Orange wine made in a red style from Chardonnay (60%) and Viognier (40%). I can definitely taste the tannin from the skin contact. A good thing. As someone else noted there is a bit of petrol to this which is not a good thing. This will not appeal to a lot of people. I look forward to the next 2 to see how it evolves.
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3/21/2012 - NEwino wrote: 88 Points
I really enjoy trying to figure this wine out. I seems this doesn't need to be chilled down and I much prefer this wine warmer than most Chards that I drink. When it is to cold I feel like the nose is muted and not near as enjoyable as when it is warmer and the oaky butterscotch flavors start to show up. The mouth on this show wonderfull firmness with a hint of tart. I am curious to see this wine age and change. This is the type of wine that could handle a fuller flavored meal and I can't wait to try it again with something as simple as a nice juicy burger.
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2/19/2012 - tastark wrote: 85 Points
What to say about this wine? It's... interesting. The color is, well, a bit orange in hue. The nose smells faintly of petrol and vinegar (faulty perhaps?). On the palette there's not much fruit, but it's medium bodied, dry and somewhat tannic from the maceration. Definitely like nothing else you've ever drank. I don't think this will ever win a lot of fans, but it went well with our tuna steaks.
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2/18/2012 - rjquillin wrote:
bkarlan got this one fair and square from me.
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1/7/2012 - rjquillin wrote:
Nice clear golden to pale amber color and kind of a floral-citrus nose, dry with perhaps only a touch of what might be perceived as sweetness, but really isn't. Enough acid so it isn't at all flabby, perhaps tart would be a good descriptor with only a bit of tannic finish.
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1/5/2012 - yorknh Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is one of the first wines with an aroma that I could easily identify...butterscotch. I detected a bit of oak as well. The wine is a lovely clear golden amber. Tannin was soft but present, same for the acid. Fruity but not jammy, with sweet citrus (like oranges) dominating. It has body, but it's not buttery. My only complaint was that there was a bit more oak spice than I would care for.
All told a unique and appealing wine, and if the oak spice fades just a bit with time, it will push my rating past the 90 barrier. If it comes up on Woot again, I will definitely buy more.
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1/3/2012 - North316 wrote: 87 Points
I really enjoyed this unique wine. I was out of town so didn't do any specific tasting notes. I will over the next few bottles.
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1/1/2012 - cmaldoon wrote: 91 Points
This was excellent! Tasted of a floral Chardonnay with balanced oak. Seemed slightly sweet due to the fruitiness from the vigonier. Good depth and freshness. Liked by all.
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12/24/2011 - Zbear Likes this wine: 90 Points
This 'orange wine' is new to me.. white grapes made in the style of red wine, and what a pleasant surprise. A clear orange-sunset colour. This wine is a 60% Chardonnay, 40% Viognier blend. It is definitely an after dinner wine, and is best just slightly chilled. A medium wine that only got better over the course of the evening.
Very pleasing aroma of spices, clove and nutmeg. Tropical fruit, honey and anise flavours, with an almost brandy-like taste. A very interesting wine. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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12/21/2011 - boylan wrote: 89 Points
Couldn't resist, opened one immediately after getting it from woot. Tasting notes from winery quite accurate. Spicy. Really enjoyed it as a wine and for the novelty.
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12/17/2011 - bsevern wrote: 91 Points
This Sebastiani wine was a holiday exclusive to wine.woot that quickly sold out, and I hope it becomes an annual tradition as it turned out to be phenomenal!!
Although it's called the "Big Orange Crusher" there are no oranges involved in this wine, what makes it an orange wine is the way it was made. Here's notes from the winery:
"This unique Orange wine was crafted by fermenting the juice of Chardonnay and Viognier grapes with their grape skins and seeds; much like how red wines are made. Fermenting “on the skins” and oak aging assisted in creating this hearty highly-structured wine. Soft chalky tannins and rich mouth-filling structure on the mid-palate make this wine simply delicious. Warm rich aromas of butterscotch, toasted oak, banana cream pie and dried mango entice the senses. Smooth and succulent flavors of lemon verbena, orange creamcicle, anise and cedar wood take hold of this wine while toasted almond nuances linger through the finish."
First bottle was chilled in the fridge, PnP'd, and served with Orange chicken (just a coincidence). On the nose were an array of aromas - citrus, baking spices, crème brûlée, tropical fruit, wow very nice. These carry to the palate, with an variety of additional flavors that develop and change over time. As the temp dropped, it opened up with flavors of baked banana creme pie, even hints of coconut. Wonderful mouth fill, silky smooth tannins, just a fantastic wine! I wish I'd purchased more before it sold out, but who knew it would be such a treasure. The tasting notes from the winery are, IMHO, very accurate (especially with the wine closer to room temp vs chilled).
As this was produced like a red wine, it'll be interesting to see how it'll evolve in the bottle.
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12/5/2011 - woot842 wrote: 91 Points
Purchased from wine.woot.
Wine is best consumed when temps are slightly chilled to room temp as it is quite tannic and can overpower the flavors if ice-cold. I paired it with baked chicken wings flavored with BBQ sauce and spicy Thai chili paste. Wine is light but gives a nice mouthy feel. There are hints of oak/vanilla but mostly fruit flavored and leaves a nice aftertaste. Wine is also very aromatic, I could seriously spend all day sniffing it. Ice-cold temps give a slight vanilla, orangery scent. Let the wine sit for a bit and a scent reminiscent of pink bubble gum comes out.
Outstanding wine overall. Per winemaker on wine woot forums, ageing the wine will bring out oak flavors so looking forward to letting rest of the bottles sit for a while.
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