Franchere – For Heaven’s Sake Please Don’t Move Here

From the winemaker:

This is my orange wine, and it’s an ironically-named tribute to explorers and immigrants. Vitis vinifera is, of course, not native to this hemisphere, and in the long view of things, so few of us are. But as we put down roots we adapt to our new home, and ideally harmonize with it, rather than bend it to our will.

This is the best vintage yet; it’s spicy, exotic, and irresistibly delicious. I cofermented 55% Pinot gris, 36% Grüner veltliner, and 9% Pinot blanc for 10 days in an open-topped fermentor, pressed at 10 brix in a basket press, then allowed the wine to complete both primary fermentation and MLF over a 5 month period in neutral French oak barrique and stainless steel tank.

The resulting wine – unfined, unfiltered, and intentionally cloudy – evokes aromas of raspberries, roses, oranges, nutmeg, and those tiny sugar coated lemon candies that I’m not even sure exist anymore. On the palate, the wine is round, beautifully textured, and delivers a boatload of cracked black pepper and raspberry-driven red fruits. With its moderate tannins and low 11.8% alcohol, recommended serving temperature is 55° F.

11.8% alc • 6.2 g/L TA • 3.51 pH • 0 RS (totally dry)