This year for our orange wine we wanted to work with Riesling, a grape we fall in love with when it sees some skin contact. Rich when ripe, floral and tropical, but with a delicate acidity that keeps the wine standing up-right.
Riesling is an Alsatian varietal, home of our favorite macerated wines, but we were curious what the California soil and climate would lend so instead of treating the fruit all one way, we played around with various macerations prior to blending in the cellar.
The final result was something that had present fruit but wasn’t wildly acidic or tropical. 50% Pinot Blanc (a mix of 15-day and 7-day macerations) and 50% Riesling (a mix of direct-press, 21-day and 15-day macerations). The perfect pairing for a spicy Summer soup, or grilled poultry with lime and chili (although it would be great on its own, or with a bag of chips, too).
