About The Pack
The popularity of skin contact white wines lately has added another interesting orange tinge to the rich tapestry of wine trends.
For the uninitiated, amber, or 'orange' wines, are essentially white wines made just like a red. Soaking the juice on the skins during the fermentation process allows a myriad of exotic flavours and aromas as well as the tactile grip and structure you might more typically see in a red wine. They are fascinating and very versatile things to drink.
In this excellent value mixed pack, you'll get to see some of the best examples of the style from some of our favourite producers.
We hope you enjoy these wines as much as we do!
2021 Unico Zelo Esoterico
A real cult favourite amongst those who've tracked the Carters from the beginning: the Esoterico is the wild child of the UZ range...
With Brendan and Laura's experience with this style of wine a little richer now, the execution of this skin contact white is on another level.
Supercharged aromatics from the Zibibbo, Moscato Giallo, Gewurztraminer & Greco, with a little boost to the mouthfeel from their old friend Fiano. They've certainly nailed this recipe, and it's no wonder it's become such a cult favourite for fans of this South Australian duo.
Orange in colour and cloudy as all get out, it lives up to its esoteric name but with oodles of drinkability. That's what skinsy whites should all be about.
Read more about 2021 Unico Zelo Esoterico2021 Brave New Wine Doppelganger Riesling Chardonnay Pinot Gris
Doppelganger is another quirky yet delicious creation from the lovely Yoko and Andries over at Brave New Wine.
The first two vintages were 100% Riesling but a couple of other varieties enter the fray. After varying degrees of skin contact on each variety through ferment, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay are aged in a combination of old barrels and ceramic eggs under a thing veil of flor.
There's uber amounts of skinsy texture here. A faint nuttiness and something like kombucha. Served blind, this would be a very difficult wine to put your finger on. The tannins are tight, the acid it mouth watering, the volume of fruit is ample to all the winemaking thrown at it.
It certainly won't be for everyone, but it is a truly interesting drinking experience.
Read more about 2021 Brave New Wine Doppelganger Riesling Chardonnay Pinot Gris2021 Arfion Fever Pinot Gris
Dave Mackintosh loves to explore with skin contact whites. He's been playing with this idea for a few years, experimenting with his Smokestack Lightning range.
The Fever is a blend of four varieties, the bulk of it being Pinot Gris, that are all co-fermented together over around 40 days, going through natural malo that adds a little extra oomph into the mix.
This is a bright and very well made version of an amber wine. If you want to explore this wine style, then Dave's offering is a very sophisticated place to start.
Read more about 2021 Arfion Fever Pinot Gris2020 Yugen Wines Tropical Sunrise
Always wanting to try something new often ends in surprising yet satisfying results, and the Yugen Wines Tropical Sunrise is one such example, with its incredible fruitiness and lovely texture.
Fermented separately on skins and then left on skins for three winks in stainless and on lees old oak for six months, the three varieties of Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato and Pinot Gris each offer something individual and enticing to the wine. The skin contact and lees ageing add texture and flavour, while the natural acids maintain freshness.
Passionfruit, guava, pineapple, lychee and lime will accompany you along this delightful path, and you'll want to drink this until the sunrise.
Read more about 2020 Yugen Wines Tropical Sunrise2022 MDI Picolit
The MDI Picolit, like the Moscato Giallo, flies in the face of expectations and delivers a lovely wine.
Whilst it's usually made into rich dessert wines in northeastern Italy, Picolit is a variety which we are seeing more and more in dry table wines in Australia. Having spent 22 days on skins before maturing in old oak, and fully undergoing malolactic fermentation, this is a textural wine with lots of creaminess, which lets the fruit sing. There's quince and pear, as well as a touch of vanilla and a hint of marshmallow goodness, with some honeysuckle coming through on the palate.
Completely dry and with refreshing acidity, this is a great wine to drink by itself or to pair with some salty, oily dishes.
Read more about 2022 MDI Picolit2021 Somos Naranjito
The Somos team tackle skin contact whites for the second time here.
This is a great example of a more smashable 'orange' wine than some of the more challenging examples on the market today.
The Verdelho fruit was grown biodynamically, all the fruit was fermented on skins before being split in two portions: the first went to barrel to spend time in oak on lees; the second stayed on skins for a huge six months before pressing giving a wild, gingery, exotic tweak to the flavours.
So much personality, so much drinkablity, so much value. A super offering from this great small McLaren Vale operation.
Read more about 2021 Somos Naranjito