In 2018 I wrote that Forceberry's note was on point and I think that it is still accurate but at this point the wine has found more harmony and balance. Still quite youthful but not as all-over-the-place as it was 4 years ago. A great experience and just at the beginning of it's preferred drinking window.
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Drank over three days at a temperature of 12 degrees. Pours a stunning shade of medium amber. A supremely complex, layered, and intoxicating nose of orange blossom, dried chopped apricots, warming Christmas spices, the faintest hint of honey, and a basket of foraged herbs and freshly picked edible wild flowers. An absolutely explosive palate that kicks you hard. In the face. It bursts alive, taking in the full spectrum; sweet, tart, bitter, and saline. Ripe stone fruits give way to orange sherbet. Flakes of sea salt rain down on charred kumquats.
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PNP into Riedel Pinot Noir glass (“No” to “Fruit” day): Medium orange with slightly cloudiness and fine deposits.
Super aromatic indeed - Stone fruits like apricots, honey and savouriness. Not very deep.
Needs some time to open in glass quite a lot of silky tannins. 92-93 points.
More than 1 day upon opening: Very nice indeed with richer palate and more complete set of flavours on palate indeed. The underlying quality of the wine really shows at this stage. I guess this really can age for a very long time. Served at room temperature.
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PNP into Zalto Burgundy glass (“Flower” day): Medium clear orange to the eyes.
Fresh mandarin peels, slightly preserved stone fruits like apricots on nose, savoury notes and some traces of VA detected that does not bother.
Very good minerality anc acidity indeed. Touch of spice on finish. Nicely textured and silky tannins.
Hard not to like the energy and transparency of this wine. Can still improve for another few years for sure but already enjoyable. Multiple consistent notes on this wine.
92-93 points.
4 hours upon opening into Zalto Damijan glass: Significantly improved with time and probably also with the glass. Richer and more detailed fruits in general and a nice blend of bright young fruits and slightly preserved ones. Upgrade to 93 points.
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PNP into BB&R Burgundy glass (“Root” day): Orangy and slight pink tints towards the rim.
On the nose fresh orange rinds, ripe juicy apricots, very slightly oxidative that adds to the complexity.
Very light-footed especially for an orange wine on the palate. Good bite and attack, ample acidity and minerality. So soft on palate yet delivers the youthful power that is inherent of most skin-macerated whites.
Awesome wine and should prove a great food partner. 92 points for now - might be better with more time in cellar.
30 minutes upon opening: more floral and slightly peppery notes appeared that enhanced the complexity on the nose. Remained super lively on palate with the nice linear acidity and slightly salty minerality. 92-93 points at this point.
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Very structured, to the point that the finish is almost sharp with tannins, bitters (think vermouth) and unripe citrus and green grass. Amazing nose. Too much for most. One person loved it and had never tried anything like it before so that was fun.
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Bronze-rose-rose color. Initially dilute and nondescript but quickly opened up to reveal something hypnotic and difficult to describe except: I want to buy some.
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Tastenote written from memory (a year afterwards)... Deep orange in colour. Concentrated fruit aromas: bruised apples and apricots, french cider apples, cooked citrus (orange marmalade), glue and bitter almond.
Tannins are really imposing, but not brutish. Medium to medium+ if I recall correctly (and quite dry in character). One of the better orange wines I've tried!
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Beautiful light orange in colour, heady nose of peach, pink grapefruit(?), and sweet herbs. Delicious on its own but absolutely shone with vegetarian pizza of all things!
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Decanted one hour, poured back into bottle. Slightly hazy, deep gold/orange colour. Smells fragrant, lifted. Some VA. Not overly distracting. Aromas of cumquat, orange oil and faint terpenes. Bit of a fresh paint type thing going on too. Its rich and mouthfilling to taste, lovely texture but not as much phenolics as I expected. Makes it pretty easy to drink. I like it.
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A blend of Chardonnay (80%) and Friulano (20%), macerated for 1-2 weeks, aged for 18 months in large 2500-3500 liter oak casks. Light addition of sulfites before bottling.
Concentrated, slightly hazy amber color. The sweet, wild and quite meaty nose feels as concentrated as the appearance with powerful aromas of orange marmalade, caramel, umami veal broth character, a little bit of bretty funk, hints of smoky phenolic character and a lifted touch of sweet VA. Lots of stuff happening here. The wine is very ripe, even somewhat sweet (although technically dry) and a bit wild on the palate with full-bodied, chewy mouthfeel. There are concentrated and powerful flavors of bruised apples, some chopped nuts, a little bit of leathery funk, a hint of old and wizened peach and a touch of slightly oxidative character that lies somewhere between cooked cream and caramel. The wine feels super-juicy and quite bold, yet not particularly heavy nor ponderous - partly in thanks to the moderately high acidity. The tannins are very light, just barely noticeable, with only the slightest tug at the gums. The finish is rich, wild and really complex with some alcohol warmth and powerful flavors of sweet exotic spices, bruised apples, some puréed apricots, a little bit of phenolic smoke character and touches of savory earthy spices and stony minerality.
Even though this wine doesn't even represent the high end of the Radikon line, this is still a remarkably impressive, weighty and balanced orange wine with stunning depth and freshness. A very lovely, impressive and profound wine with great structure and just a hint of wild, volatile character that still doesn't overwhelm the layered, nuanced fruit department. Simply beautiful now, but I can imagine this one could benefit from at least a few more years in a cellar. Very highly recommended - drinks wonderfully on its own, but shows such balance I find this very versatile also as a food wine.
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Apples & Oranges (Chicago, IL): Sweet and meaty at the same time (not sweetmeats). Smells a little like Taiwanese beef jerky? Floral, but not the cloying and sickening kind. Good acidic cut, but a little waxy at the same time.
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1/7/2023 - karl.1480 Likes this wine: 95 Points
In 2018 I wrote that Forceberry's note was on point and I think that it is still accurate but at this point the wine has found more harmony and balance. Still quite youthful but not as all-over-the-place as it was 4 years ago. A great experience and just at the beginning of it's preferred drinking window.
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8/14/2022 - paintinginacave Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over three days at a temperature of 12 degrees. Pours a stunning shade of medium amber. A supremely complex, layered, and intoxicating nose of orange blossom, dried chopped apricots, warming Christmas spices, the faintest hint of honey, and a basket of foraged herbs and freshly picked edible wild flowers. An absolutely explosive palate that kicks you hard. In the face. It bursts alive, taking in the full spectrum; sweet, tart, bitter, and saline. Ripe stone fruits give way to orange sherbet. Flakes of sea salt rain down on charred kumquats.
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4/15/2022 - Krassens Likes this wine: 91 Points
In line with previous notes, but the milky/malolactic is taking over too much now. Might be time to drink up.
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1/11/2021 - djjagdish Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely and complex, with apricot, lychee, candied ginger, and rose water notes that glide on and on.
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3/24/2020 - PatrickO33 wrote: 88 Points
Very intense nose. Vanilla, tangerine and herbs. Full bodied and strong acidity.
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1/23/2020 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP into Riedel Pinot Noir glass (“No” to “Fruit” day): Medium orange with slightly cloudiness and fine deposits.
Super aromatic indeed - Stone fruits like apricots, honey and savouriness. Not very deep.
Needs some time to open in glass quite a lot of silky tannins. 92-93 points.
More than 1 day upon opening: Very nice indeed with richer palate and more complete set of flavours on palate indeed. The underlying quality of the wine really shows at this stage. I guess this really can age for a very long time. Served at room temperature.
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8/8/2019 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP into Zalto Burgundy glass (“Flower” day): Medium clear orange to the eyes.
Fresh mandarin peels, slightly preserved stone fruits like apricots on nose, savoury notes and some traces of VA detected that does not bother.
Very good minerality anc acidity indeed. Touch of spice on finish. Nicely textured and silky tannins.
Hard not to like the energy and transparency of this wine. Can still improve for another few years for sure but already enjoyable. Multiple consistent notes on this wine.
92-93 points.
4 hours upon opening into Zalto Damijan glass: Significantly improved with time and probably also with the glass. Richer and more detailed fruits in general and a nice blend of bright young fruits and slightly preserved ones. Upgrade to 93 points.
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12/15/2018 - karl.1480 wrote: 94 Points
Forceberry's note is as always on point. I'm glad I have more!
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7/20/2018 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP into BB&R Burgundy glass (“Root” day): Orangy and slight pink tints towards the rim.
On the nose fresh orange rinds, ripe juicy apricots, very slightly oxidative that adds to the complexity.
Very light-footed especially for an orange wine on the palate. Good bite and attack, ample acidity and minerality. So soft on palate yet delivers the youthful power that is inherent of most skin-macerated whites.
Awesome wine and should prove a great food partner. 92 points for now - might be better with more time in cellar.
30 minutes upon opening: more floral and slightly peppery notes appeared that enhanced the complexity on the nose. Remained super lively on palate with the nice linear acidity and slightly salty minerality. 92-93 points at this point.
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7/11/2018 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 90 Points
Very structured, to the point that the finish is almost sharp with tannins, bitters (think vermouth) and unripe citrus and green grass. Amazing nose. Too much for most. One person loved it and had never tried anything like it before so that was fun.
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7/11/2018 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Bronze-rose-rose color. Initially dilute and nondescript but quickly opened up to reveal something hypnotic and difficult to describe except: I want to buy some.
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6/27/2018 - Green Isaac Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tastenote written from memory (a year afterwards)...
Deep orange in colour.
Concentrated fruit aromas: bruised apples and apricots, french cider apples, cooked citrus (orange marmalade), glue and bitter almond.
Tannins are really imposing, but not brutish. Medium to medium+ if I recall correctly (and quite dry in character).
One of the better orange wines I've tried!
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6/2/2018 - biggie wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful light orange in colour, heady nose of peach, pink grapefruit(?), and sweet herbs. Delicious on its own but absolutely shone with vegetarian pizza of all things!
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6/1/2018 - Krassens Likes this wine: 91 Points
So great.
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1/29/2018 - xzwine wrote:
Amber and cloudy. Fragrant, fresh, funky and complex. Marked acidity with fine grained tannins, a little bit astringent at the end. Long finish.
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1/14/2018 - Milliontown wrote: 92 Points
Decanted one hour, poured back into bottle. Slightly hazy, deep gold/orange colour. Smells fragrant, lifted. Some VA. Not overly distracting. Aromas of cumquat, orange oil and faint terpenes. Bit of a fresh paint type thing going on too. Its rich and mouthfilling to taste, lovely texture but not as much phenolics as I expected. Makes it pretty easy to drink. I like it.
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12/5/2017 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points
A blend of Chardonnay (80%) and Friulano (20%), macerated for 1-2 weeks, aged for 18 months in large 2500-3500 liter oak casks. Light addition of sulfites before bottling.
Concentrated, slightly hazy amber color. The sweet, wild and quite meaty nose feels as concentrated as the appearance with powerful aromas of orange marmalade, caramel, umami veal broth character, a little bit of bretty funk, hints of smoky phenolic character and a lifted touch of sweet VA. Lots of stuff happening here. The wine is very ripe, even somewhat sweet (although technically dry) and a bit wild on the palate with full-bodied, chewy mouthfeel. There are concentrated and powerful flavors of bruised apples, some chopped nuts, a little bit of leathery funk, a hint of old and wizened peach and a touch of slightly oxidative character that lies somewhere between cooked cream and caramel. The wine feels super-juicy and quite bold, yet not particularly heavy nor ponderous - partly in thanks to the moderately high acidity. The tannins are very light, just barely noticeable, with only the slightest tug at the gums. The finish is rich, wild and really complex with some alcohol warmth and powerful flavors of sweet exotic spices, bruised apples, some puréed apricots, a little bit of phenolic smoke character and touches of savory earthy spices and stony minerality.
Even though this wine doesn't even represent the high end of the Radikon line, this is still a remarkably impressive, weighty and balanced orange wine with stunning depth and freshness. A very lovely, impressive and profound wine with great structure and just a hint of wild, volatile character that still doesn't overwhelm the layered, nuanced fruit department. Simply beautiful now, but I can imagine this one could benefit from at least a few more years in a cellar. Very highly recommended - drinks wonderfully on its own, but shows such balance I find this very versatile also as a food wine.
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10/8/2017 - acyso wrote:
Apples & Oranges (Chicago, IL): Sweet and meaty at the same time (not sweetmeats). Smells a little like Taiwanese beef jerky? Floral, but not the cloying and sickening kind. Good acidic cut, but a little waxy at the same time.
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