WTN: A Czech orange wine

Milan Nestarec TRBLMKR 2018 is a Czech orange wine from Moravia. It's a field blend of Chasselas, Malvasia and Neuburger and about 10% of it saw skin contact. I know there are many who hate orange wine and this, though not one of the freakier examples, is not one that will persuade them. But for us few fans of the genre, I highly recommend this. Hazy orange colour. Lovely aromas of acacia, herbs, sorrel, red tea - there is real depth here. Dry, crunchy, high acidity with just a small tannic bite, and surprisingly pure fruit (orange end of the citrus spectrum rather than the tart end). Endless finish. Quite an elegant take on the genre - I don't really think elegance is generally what orange wines are meant to be, but it is here. Buy again? I hate to say this since it's 30€ but I probably will. Silly money to pay for wine but it's just so good.

[David M. Bueker]

First of all - hello Saina!

I think I have ever had one "elegant" orange wine, and it wasn't terribly orange. So you are likely right in that it's not really the calling card of the genre.

Buy again? I hate to say this since it's 30€ but I probably will. Silly money to pay for wine but it's just so good.

I like the way you troll the Americans with these comments! Depending on the region, 30 euros/35 usd can feel like the entry level in the US these days. But of course everyone's budget/threshold varies.

I think I have ever had one "elegant" orange wine, and it wasn't terribly orange. So you are likely right in that it's not really the calling card of the genre.

The reason for the "elegance" of this wine was probability that it only 10% of it had skin contact. If that were true for a wine made from dark skinned grapes, it would probably be called a rosé.

However, elegant red wines can be made, so in principle I don't see why it is not possible for it to be more common with 100% orange wines. Though it might take a while to find the appropriate varieties and develop the winemaking experience.

Anyway, I do not want all of my wines to be elegant, so I'm not complaining.

I like the way you troll the Americans with these comments! Depending on the region, 30 euros/35 usd can feel like the entry level in the US these days. But of course everyone's budget/threshold varies.

Unfortunately in recent years prices for wines and other fun (and even necessary stuff) have gone up 20-200% per year whereas my pay only goes up by 2% per year. I can't keep up. My favourite wine, Musar, used to be 20€ but is now 44€. Wine has again become a bourgeois drink and not one for us unwashed masses. Which is why I'm not on fora so much any more. But I do treat myself occasionally.

[David M. Bueker]

Pricing has gotten crazy, and not just in Finland. 2X and 3X jumps are happening for a lot of wines that aren’t even notable.

Unfortunately in recent years prices for wines and other fun (and even necessary stuff) have gone up 20-200% per year whereas my pay only goes up by 2% per year. I can't keep up. My favourite wine, Musar, used to be 20€ but is now 44€. Wine has again become a bourgeois drink and not one for us unwashed masses. Which is why I'm not on fora so much any more. But I do treat myself occasionally.

I don't know the Finnish market, but high-level wine options in the US below 30 euros/35 USD have been limited for many years now. Yes there are still good wines to be found, but fewer and fewer each year, as you say.

Tough issue. Obviously the extreme high end of the market is ridiculous, although that's irrelevant for me. But, to the extent that the Loire/Beaujolais/German wine producers are getting more money for their labor and their excellent products, that doesn't strike me as a bad thing. When we were sitting around laughing at how we could enjoy the fruits of their undervalued labor, that didn't strike me as optimal either.