We admit it. We are skeptical of orange wines as a whole, since experience has taught us that more often than not, one ends up with a funky, cloudy, discordant glass of wine that has more in common with a hard cider than a pure expression of a grape. Very little about this night's battle changed our minds.
Made by macerating the skins and seeds of white wine grapes with the juice during fermentation, these can show finished colors of pale pink/orange to a deeper copper hue, and can be clear and filtered, or stridently hazy. Many are inspired by the so-called natural wine movement.
While we did have a unanimous winner (Andy's Slovenian Pinot Grigio), showing a fresh, inviting profile, most of the wines veered into disappointing territory. This was the fastest we have ever tasted blind, with tasters eagerly moving to the next entry in the hope that the next glass would show better than the last.
Still, we did learn a great deal, with each bottle coming from a different country, and each glass expressing something different from each other. But will we try this category as a blind tasting again? It's doubtful. Luckily, David purchased a decent tawny port to end the evening with, which mitigated the effect of having our palates assailed by so many unpleasant wines.
Photography by Andy.
First Place: Ptujska Klet Pullus Pinot Grigio 2022 (Slovenia). Pretty color, looking more like a rosé, and having complex, inviting scents of strawberries, blossoms, crushed up limestone, lemon, mint, raspberries, citrus peel, and cucumber. David was reminded of a "shell driveway." Fresh. Tasters found this delicious in the mouth, having uplifting acidity and a salty quality to go with flavors of clementine, red berries, and tarragon. Everyone's favorite of the night, for a total of 36 points. Andy's bottle. About $19.
Second Place: Dominio de Punctum 20,000 Leguas Orange Wine 2022 (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla). Leaning more yellow or golden in color, like hay. Bright honey, almonds, apricots, marshmallows, honeydew, and a hint of oak on the nose, this reminded Ali of "department store perfume counter." The palate has a cohesive flow to it, along with a saline note, with flavors of preserved lemon, almond, and underripe stone fruit. Actual tannin on the finish. Interesting. Ali noted that she "would put this in my mouth again." Certified organic and vegan. 23 points. Ali's bottle. About $18.
Third Place: Cirelli Orange Vino Bianco (Italy). Smelled of dairy, butterscotch, and freesia. David decided on "cheap supermarket cheddar cheese", while Jamie noted "cotton candy grapes", and Ali was reminded of "basement Barbie." Decent citrus flavors, but the acid is a little raw, tasting like oolong iced tea. When we have comments like "not that bad after a while", and "doesn't taste as bad as it smells", you know things are veering off course. Organic. 19 points. David's bottle. About $23.
Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Orange 2023 (Central Coast). Clear, pinkish color. Tasters found scents of rubber, pink eraser, cabbage, corn husk, spare tire, and a tiny bit of peach or lychee. Jamie found it "vaguely tropical." Tasted artificial, like Crystal Light or Nestea, plus notions of wheat flour. Jamie noted that it didn't deliver any tropical notes on the palate compared to the nose. Josephine detected "unripe green Bartlett pear." Kristin summed up by saying that it "seems like it shouldn't be bottled", with Ali declaring that "it was in my mouth and now it never will again." Vegan. 4 points. Josephine's bottle. About $15.
Edanos Wines Roditis Cu14 2023 (Achaia). Flat out cloudy, with a pretty, pale apricot hue. Scents of stone fruit, then slightly worn sock. Funky and saline, opening up to aromas of bruised fruit, overripe pear, lemon rind, peach skin, honey, cider, honeysuckle, and a little bit of jasmine and ginger. Like cider on the palate, this was super-acidic, having flavors of Granny Smith apple, and finishing with Kool Aid and Crystal Light. Jamie found it "seriously malic", and Ali noted that it "doesn't really taste like wine." Organic. Andy and Kristin each gave this a point. Kristin's bottle. About $16.
Folias de Baco Uivo Curtido Branco 2022 (Portugal). Very cloudy, suggesting to Ali that "this looks like urine." Tasters detected aromas of gasoline, black olives, pickle juice, stargazer lily, mustard, and carrots. Not inviting. Andy wondered out loud, "Is this safe to drink?" Like pickled ginger on the palate, with a terrible texture. Flat and boring. Kristin asked her glass, "Aren't you supposed to be wine?", with Jamie commenting that it was "not even bad enough to be interesting." Kristin summed up with "dirty pear water", whatever that is. Made from Moscatel Galego Branco grapes. No points. Jamie's bottle. About $20.
Also tasted:
Dona Antonia Reserve Tawny Porto. No notes taken. About $25.
OCTOBER 2024: ORANGE WINE BATTLE
