This is Pinot Grigio is the perfect foray into orange wines. While entirely different from a conventional Pinot Grigio, this absolutely delicious wine retains some of the familiar qualities of the grape, but adds so much more. The typical stone fruit flavours are there, but the 10 days of skin contact result in surprising red fruit flavours and sweet spices, along with light tannins and a mouth-pleasing texture. As this wine ages, the freshness evolves into more tertiary flavours, much like a red wine. It’s an incredibly complex wine and one of the cult-favourites that continues deliver every year.

Story: In a tiny village in the far northeast corner of Italy, Saša Radikon produces arguably the finest skin-contact wines in the world. Saša is revered around the world as a pioneer and absolute master of macerated wines. Pinot Grigio has proven to be ideal for making skin-contact wines, as it has thicker skins and plenty of aromatics, and also is easy to grow. In 2009, Saša created the S range– helmed by the Slatnik & Sivi cuvées– to introduce a more fresh and approachable style. These wines are macerated for shorter periods and meant to be consumed on release, not aged. Thus he uses a standard 75ml bottle for these wines, as opposed to his usual 100ml bottles. 

Vinification: Grapes are carefully chosen, hand-harvested and gently crushed. The juice is left to macerate on the skins for 8-10 days in oak vats. The grapes are then co-fermented in oak with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 12 months in large 25/35hl oak casks, then spends a few months on stainless steel to come together. Then it is bottled and aged for a further 2 months before release.

Match it with: Antipasti platter, chorizo dishes, smoked fish.

• Orange (Skin Contact)
• Pinot Gris
• Italy, Friuli
• Radikon
• Dry
• 14.50%
• Ready to Drink And Will Improve