Dorcha 'Oranžna' 2023

The vibe: There are those who argue orange wines are only appropriate for summertime drinking. Personally, we believe that orange wines are perfect year-round, as they offer additional complexity, texture and body over their direct-press white wine counterparts. Also, those orange wines with citrus notes are especially appealing this time of year. Has anyone else been shucking and slamming clementines nonstop since the holidays? Just us? Oranžna translates to, you guessed it, orange! That is not only the color of this wine but also the profile. We get lots of juicy tangerine zest, mild tannins, and some subtle spice on the finish. Štajerska is region that is known for it’s highly aromatic varietals and tremendous balance of aromatics and freshness, due to the wonderfully cool climate in the hills. You end up with a deeply complex, subtly funky, and immensely quaffable orange wine.

The winemaker: Located in Ritoznoj in Štajerska, Dorcha is the brainchild of Izidor (Dorcha) Vehovar. He is the 3rd generation of his family to continue the path of viticulture and winemaking, and is intent on a new direction, a friendlier path. A farmer without a conventional view of wine production, a winemaker who is following the local tradition of producing pure, vibrant wines. Gaining from some fresh perspective from his relatively-new neighbor in the village (Nick Gee, Heaps Good Wine Co.), he is now adding to his family's tradition by making exciting wines made naturally with a modern twist. Farming is done with the greatest respect for the land, with entirely sustainable viticulture, and all under Slovenia’s strict integrative farming requirements, with no use of pesticides or herbicides in the vineyards.

The geeky details: Gelber Muskateller 50%, Traminer 50%. Each variety is hand-picked and processed separately. Destemmed into small open top fermenters. Spontaneous fermentation with native yeast. Pressed off skins after the completion of alcoholic fermentation (approx. 21 days). Aging on fine lees in tank for 5 months.

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: Orange wines go great with spicy foods and rich dishes with  umami notes. We want to pair this with banh mi or a big bowl of vermicelli. It would also complement a fruit-forward salad or could be the perfect dessert course accompaniment.

Album pairing: Vaudou Game - FINTOU