"Orange" Wines (white grapes fermented w/extended skin contact)
The Jug Shop, San Francisco, California
Tasted Saturday, August 29, 2009 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 992 views
Introduction
This was only my second extensive tasting of orange wines--wines from white grapes that have been fermented with extended skin contact--but I found that I am beginning to understand why a small cult following has developed around these unusual (and typically rather high priced) vinous creatures. More so even than other fine wines, orange wines strike one as living, breathing beings, that take on different aspects and characteristics from one tasting to the next, that are highily sensitive (more so than your average wine) to variations of temperature and aeration, as well as to the other fluctuations that can impact other wines. Even though it was a very warm day in San Francisco, these were served at a relatively cool temperature (around 65 degrees Farenheit, I would guess) that seemed to focus them more than when I've had them served at slightly higher temperatures.
This time 13 of the 14 wines were from Italy, with only one, the '06 Lunar, hailing from Slovenia. In general, I thought this was a very intriguing and appealing set of wines, and I applaud the Jug Shop for pulling together such an instructive tasting, including some fairly rare items and older vintages. Orange wines may be an acquired taste, but one that I am apparently quickly acquiring. For me the QPR wine of the tasting was the '07 Ronco Severo ($28 retail), and I snatched up a few bottles of that to examine in more detail at my leisure. The highest priced wine, '01 Valentini Trebbiano ($110), was one of the most unusual wines I've ever tasted, with its intense charred toast flavors and nose, so a treat to try, but not something I see myself collecting.
Flight 1 - An intense flight (13 Notes)
Flight 2 - Refreshing finish (1 Note)
2007 Kuenhof (Peter Pliger) Sylvaner 92 Points
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler
Pale canary yellow color; nice, focused, tart peach, lime, mineral, herbal nose; big burst of tart white fruit, mineral, lime, with a sense of white pepper and light oily texture; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
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2007 Ronco Severo Pinot Grigio Venezia Giulia IGT 93 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Light tangerine orange color with clarity; creamy tangerine, uni, lime nose; tasty, concentrated, tart cherry, tart tangerine palate with grip, sweet and tart tannins and good acidity; medium-plus finish
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2003 La Castellada Collio Ribolla Gialla 92 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio
Light orange yellow color; nice, big, herbal, mineral, lime, muddled mint nose; light oily texture, tart, tight, orange, mineral, clementine palate with prickly acidity; medium finish
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2001 Radikon Ribolla Gialla 91 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Light orange color with slight cloudiness; intriguing, VA, tart orange, clementine, mineral, green herb and smoke nose; tasty, tart, tight orange, tangerine, mineral palate with tangy acidity, tart tannins and a tart mint note showing toward the medium-plus finish 91+ pts.
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2006 Movia Lunar 8. 92 Points
Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda
Light orange color with slight cloudiness; minerally, tart lime, tangerine, cream, floral nose; tasty, tight, tart citrus, orange, lime, mineral, tart peach palate with a light sense of sherry, good acidity and tart tannins; medium-plus finish
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2004 Damijan Podversic Kaplja 90 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Medium dark golden color with an orange tinge and cloudiness; chalk, smoke, VA, tart herbal, orange, lime nose; tight, herbal, tart orange, clementine palate with light oily texture; medium finish
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2001 Gravner Ribolla Gialla Anfora 91 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Medium orange color with clarity and clear meniscus; nice almond, pistachio, green herb nose; tight, tart, creamy tangerine, tart clementine, mineral and smoke palate; medium-plus finish
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2005 Zidarich Carso Vitovska 92 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso
Medium, slightly cloudy, lemon yellow color with clear meniscus; savory, smoky, sardine, baked lemon, clementine, lime nose; silky textured, tasty, tart lemon, clementine, tangerine, mineral palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
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2005 Zidarich Carso Malvasia Istriana 92 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso
Medium lemon yellow color with slight cloudiness and clear meniscus; intriguing, focused, ripe grapefruit, smoke, baked lime and mint nose; tight, ripe lime, clementine, mineral, tart orange palate, needs a few years; medium-plus finish
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2004 La Stoppa Ageno 91 Points
Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Emilia IGT
Medium dark tangerine orange color with clear meniscus; pinched, very tight, VA, Fernet Branca, green herbal, tart clementine nose; tangy, tart tangerine, mineral palate with a touch of Fernet Branca, big tannins; long finish 91+ pts.
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2007 Paolo Bea Santa Chiara 89 Points
Italy, Umbria
Light medium orange color with clear meniscus; VA, roots, baked lime, herbal, carrot ginger soup nose; tight, clenched, tangy clementine, oily textured, mineral, sage and orange palate with tart acidity and scathing tannins; medium-plus finish
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2005 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 92 Points
Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Light medium golden yellow color with clear meniscus; intriguing, almond, honeyed, lemon cream, savory nose; complex tart lemon, honey, almond, creamy orange, tart orange, mineral palate, young yet, but with a touch of sherry; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
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2001 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 93 Points
Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Bright light medium yellow color; smoky, blackened toast, charcoal, graphite nose; unusual burnt toast, smoke, tar, anise palate, concentrated, like a mature toasty Champagne on steroids, good acidity; long finish
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