Summertime Orange Wines
D’Ora Orange, Gerald Diem – 2023 $16.96
A new orange liter, and just in time for the warm weather! Spring and summer days at the park or the beach beg to be accompanied by a larger-format, easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing bottle that will pair with a wide variety of foods – and this bottle from D’Ora checks all the boxes! A Grüner with 4 weeks of skin contact and a little malolactic fermentation, this orange liter has refreshing notes of apple and an orange creamsicle-ness to it that keeps you interested. Fifth generation winemaker Gerald Diem is certified organic and him and his wife took over the estate in 2000. – Vic Pagan, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Couple Goals, Sebastien David – 2022 $18.96
When I brought this bottle home, my wife read the label and asked me “What are we doing with our lives? What are our Couple Goals?” We then opened and drank and our worries evaporated. What could be more fun than a liter of crushable, pocket friendly orange wine? Couple Goals has flavors of spice, orange citrus, melons, and apples. The texture is seductively soft, the aromas are floral and herbaceous. It’s a natural wine from vines farmed organically and biodynamically. The Chard and Chenin are picked by hand, fermented with native yeasts, and treated with minimal sulfur. It’s extremely effective paired with a plate of winding down after work. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Grüner Veltliner “Hollotrio”, Bauer – 2023 $18.96
I have been a fan of Bosman Family Vineyards since I first started learning about wine. They’ve been making wine in Wellington, South Africa, since 1810, and 8 generations later they are still “dedicated to better,” as their motto states. They strive for excellence in product as well as practice – they focus on sustainability and regeneration of the environment and local community! The Bosman family is also the owner of Bosman Adama, the largest vine nursery in Africa. Founded in 1947 by Petrus Bosman Sr. in response to phylloxera outbreak, it supplies over one third of the country’s grafted vines! This Chenin Blanc is a must-try for summer – a pale straw color, stone fruit and jasmine aromatics, and a clean minerality on the palate that is lingering and refreshing. A no-brainer to pair with summer dishes or as an aperitif! – Vic Pagan, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Moschofilero, “Hoof & Lur”, Troupis Winery – 2023 $18.99
Maybe it’s too early for rosé, but I was in the mood for something similar, so with summer on my mind, I reached for this. Moschofilero is a pink-skinned, aromatic grape variety grown on Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula. It’s tart and juicy, with notes of rhubarb, cherry, and dried orange that grow more expressive with time in the glass. The Troupis family has a long history of work in agronomy, where vines, fruit trees, and flowers have been grown and sold from their nursery in Mantinia. As with other traditional Greek families who make wine for their own table, their efforts naturally grew into the desire to share their passion with others. If you’re looking to get into Greek wines, or looking for an alternative to the same old rosés, give this one a shot, and think of summer. – Simon Gouldstone, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Channing Daughters, “Ramato” – 2022 $19.96
“Ramato,” the Italian word for the color copper, is an old Friulian style of Pinot Grigio with skin-contact fermentation. Channing Daughters take on this orange wine was delicious! Aside from the stunning color, I enjoyed the aromas of honey, chestnuts and peaches, and on the palate this wine has amazing texture and salinity that is even better the second day. This was a complex and super fun orange wine that would pair well with a lot of meals – I had enjoyed it with some cheeses, and I think it would make the perfect accompaniment to your favorite Indian or Ethiopian dishes! Channing Daughters Winery is also a founding member of the Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing Program, and recycles all grape pomace like seeds and pulp to generate compost! – Vic Pagan, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Artizani, Orange Affair – 2022 $29.96
8000 years. Just imagine, 8000 years ago people at the territory of the the modern country Georgia made the wines. And they still do it. Very often using the same old techniques. Artizani winery is in that number. Artizani was founded by three wine aficionados obsessed with natural wines from Georgian indigenous grape varieties. Salome, Irakli, and David took ‘Artizani’- from French- to describe a craftsman who works with his hands, and the three of them have worked eight years together to craft the perfect Georgian wine. Their Orange Affair is a dry skin contact wine blend of 70% Rkatsiteli and 30% Mtsvane. Initial sweet aroma of yellow cherry and dried flowers bloom into the notes of ripe melon and hints of caramelized fruits. Flavor is rich and voluminous, with slight acidity and pleasant bitterness of tannins. WE LOVE IT!!! Yurri Sachenko, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant