The teams from the Alsatian cooperative Wolfberger have developed this latest novelty :
an atypical vintage made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from the 2017 vintage.
What is orange wine ? Also called maceration white wine, orange wine is a white wine vinified like red wine. Its production consists of fermenting whole white grapes with their skins, which gives it a beautiful warm color. A very old technique dating back to Antiquity – long forgotten, which is today used more and more in the wine world and acclaimed by the most informed. Wolfberger 
was keen to try this method. The art of a Great is a wine that deviates from conventions. It constitutes the gateway to learning about this special winemaking which requires daily monitoring during aging with meticulousness and precision.. Because the risk in the cellar would be to extract too much bitterness, astringency or unwanted microflora develops since it is a wine without added sulphites. An orange colored dress, this wine reveals aromas of dried flowers, spices and plum. Ventilation, roasted notes appear. The palate is structured with a peppery finish..
Pressing and maceration
The grapes intended for the Art of a Great come from a selection of Chardonnay on alluvial soil in Bergholtz-Zell near Orschwihr, located between Colmar and Mulhouse. A plot carefully selected due to a beautiful mass selection of vines and terroir operated in Agri Confiance for several years. The grapes were harvested on August 31, after a very hot summer, without frost or hail. The pressing of the marcs is slow, so as not to extract too much astringency. Maceration is similar to that of Pinot Noirs, lasting 15 days in stainless steel vats with daily pumping over.. During the first 10 days of maceration, the teams first carried out bioprotection and strongly cooled the grapes to extract the main aromas.. The vats were then drained to obtain only the free-run juice then the pressed marc which will constitute the press juice.. The yeasts were added on the fifth day before everything was assembled and put into muids : alcoholic fermentation took place slowly for a month. This first experience with the 2017 vintage was renewed in 2020. Alcohol : 14,2 %. Distribution : wine merchants and CHR.
