WTN: Orange Chardonnay

[David M. Bueker]

2013 Enfield Wine Co. Chardonnay 'Chardonnay on Skins' Heron Lake Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Wild Horse Valley (4/15/2015)
Note: I am not normally considered a fan of orange wines. I do enjoy this one, as it is a bit lighter in its orange-ness. Tangerine and spice, a mid palate richness and a finishing brightness express a wide range of expressions all in one sip. It's very food friendly, and not as exotic as many other orange wines.

2013 Enfield Wine Co. Chardonnay 'Chardonnay on Skins' Heron Lake Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Wild Horse Valley (4/15/2015)
Note: I am not normally considered a fan of orange wines. I do enjoy this one, as it is a bit lighter in its orange-ness. Tangerine and spice, a mid palate richness and a finishing brightness express a wide range of expressions all in one sip. It's very food friendly, and not as exotic as many other orange wines.

David,
My usage (which is, of course, not universally, or even somewhat, accepted) is to label "orange" wines as skin-contact
whites that are made in an oxidative maner, a la Gravner or Radikon. Because of their burnished bronze/golden color.
There are a lot of skin-contact whites that are made in a reductive manner that don't (depending upon the variety) that
show only a slight bit of an orange color, depending upon the length of skin-contact. Obviously, varieties w/ some pigmentation (like PinotGris or GrenacheGris) show more color, often some rose-like. So, I'm assuming, from your description that this Chard was a skin-contact white made in a reductive manner. A skin-contact white Lite.
I'm sorta surprised that there is not more experimenting w/ skin-contact Chards. Chard is kinda neutral grape and a bit of skin contact during fermentation can give the wine a bit more interest, other than slamming it w/ oak. Of course, if the skin contact is lengthy, the phenolic character (my term..also not widely accepted) can obliterate any varietal character. But I think there could be some very interesting Chards made w/ 2-6 or 7 days of skin-contact, so the phenolic character doesn't dominate.
I've not tried any of the Enfield wines yet.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

You have not had any of the Enfield wines? At all?

Wow. I have in fact followed them from the very start.

Would gladly share if we could figure out a quasi-ok way to get them to you.

I agree that the skin contact thing is a good way to get more interest into a neutral grape. I think this wine managed the tightrope of flavor interest versus phenolics quite well. I left about half in a stoppered bottle in the fridge. Looking forward to how it evolves.

You have not had any of the Enfield wines? At all?

Wow. I have in fact followed them from the very start.

Yup, David.....looks like your idol has feet of clay!!!

I agree that the skin contact thing is a good way to get more interest into a neutral grape. I think this wine managed the tightrope of flavor interest versus phenolics quite well. I left about half in a stoppered bottle in the fridge. Looking forward to how it evolves.

That's a pretty tricky tightrope to walk. Not all winemakers do it well.
Tom

Besides time on the skins, any indication of being made in an oxidative amphora/Slovenian way?

[David M. Bueker]

Nope. Just skin contact.

I have seen orange wines that when “young” (first released) look no different than a “normal” white wine. By appearance you would expect the fruit to be “fresh and crisp”. Upon first sip, instead you get a much more complex or diverse spectrum of the fruit; besides fresh fruit you get hint with baked fruit and the skins of the fruit. (The wine might look “white” but it tastes more like a “red”).

When doing any maceration or skin-fermented wine the “profile” of the wine will somewhat be determine how you prepare the must (whole cluster / de-stemed whole berries / partial gentle crush / full crush etc.) and how long you maceration (pre-fermentation / fermentation / post fermentation (extended)).

Salute

So, we have skin-fermented "orange" wines that may or may not be orange in color, at least while young, and we also have the oxidative skin-fermented sort. Do the latter always appear orangish?

[David M. Bueker]

Depends on what you consider orange. I have had some that were only a deep gold.

A skin fermented white wine using “oxidative winemaking techniques” will most likely appear “darker” than a skin fermented white wine using “reductive winemaking techniques”. (Oxidation in general causes “white wines” or light colored wines to “gain” color. Because of the phenolic compound composition and chemistry of an “orange wines” or “skin fermented whites” the reaction between the oxygen and components of the wine will not occur at the same rate as a white wine made the “normal way”). As mentioned by Tom depending upon the pigmentation of the grape variety used the color of the wine may run a wide spectrum of colors (straw-color, greenish, amber, salmon-color, copper-color, deep copper, golden, deep golden, brownish etc.)

Salute