Orange wine gets its ochre hue from macerating white grapes (aka soaking white grape skins in their grape juice)– a step that imbues the wine with tannins and flavor, and is used in the making of red wine. The country of Georgia has been known to practice this method of winemaking for thousands of years, leaving their wine on the skins in large clay vessels called Kvevri. 

The Rise of Orange Wine in the U.S.

Cellar Master Jarad Bivins washing out the Spanish Tinaja that produces the orange wine at Two Vinters.

Morgan Lee, winemaker at Two Vintners in Woodinville, Washington, says he was one of the first to begin producing orange wine in the state. The inspiration hit on a business trip to Baltimore when a distributor asked him if anyone in Washington was making orange wine. 

“I was still in my twenties, and at the time I had never heard of it,” Morgan Lee said. “I replied that we don’t grow citrus fruit in Washington, and he had a chuckle over that.”

After explaining that orange wine has nothing to do with the fruit, the distributor said he was seeing a growing segment of people asking for it. 

“I have an affinity for different things,” Lee said. “I really like making things that other people are not making.”

That very harvest in 2010, Lee made his first batch using Gewürztraminer grapes sourced from Yakima Valley for their aromatic nature. By the 2019 vintage, Lee was able to get his hands on some Spanish clay tinajas (giant clay pots) to use in the winemaking process, just like orange wine is traditionally made in Old World countries. 

“I really think it’s the best wine in our whole program,” Lee said, “But it’s not for everybody… I like to make wines that make people think, and some people love it and some just can’t wrap their head around it. 

Going Back to Basics

Orange Wines from AmByth Estate

Further south in Paso Robles, California, Gelert Hart is winemaker and vineyard manager for family-run, biodynamic winery AmByth Estate. 

“[Orange wine] is very much a big part of the market now since the last 10 years or so, and we are seeing a lot more producers get into it,” Hart said. “Especially from natural wine producers that seem to be more likely to embrace the significant flavor difference you find in orange wines.”

Even so, not all orange wine is natural wine, even though the two seem to be somewhat conflated in the public imagination. Perhaps this is because orange wine in the traditional sense, was left to ferment on the skins for long periods of time with no additives– a hands-off approach that natural winemaking shares. 

For George Nosis, winemaker at Atwater Vineyards located in the Finger Lakes area of New York, learning about orange wine was a source of ancient inspiration. Nosis said that learning about the Old World techniques of making orange wine reminds us to go back to basics. In an age where so much winemaking has become a large-scale production that lacks any soul, small-batch wineries such as Atwood don’t actually need to use as many additives as industrial producers.

Orange Wine Tasting Notes

Traditional Georgian Kvevri

It could be said that orange wine is an even more versatile and expansive category than red or white wines, according to Lee. The styles range from light wines similar to rosé to big flavor, Old World wines that are left on the skins for up to a year.

Phillip Hart, founder and original winegrower at AmByth Estate, shared the varied tasting notes from his first orange wines produced in 2006. 

“I made four different orange wines from our four [grape] varietals and discovered how very different orange wines are from each other,” Phillip Hart said. “Grenache Blanc – fairly big on the palate, quite forward. Viognier – the time on the skins brought out huge floral notes, extremely distinctive. Roussanne – the most delicate of the four. Marsanne – huge, monstrous, tannic, a beast.”

Since the early 2000s, Nosis has also experimented with several grape varietals in his orange winemaking. He said the best kinds of grapes tend to be those with low acid and high aromatics. He’s played with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer, to name a few. The best part is discovering something completely new from a grape that had once been old hat. 

“You can taste that it’s a Gewurztraminer but now it’s this whole different expression,” Nosis said. “All of a sudden something you thought was mundane takes on new life. It’s like if you found out that your grandma was a rockstar.”

How to Pair Orange Wine

Atwater Vineyards

Most of the wine experts we spoke with emphasized that orange wine is extremely interesting to pair with food. 

“[Orange wine] works well with Indian and Thai curries with coconut milk,” Lee said. “In the Northwest here, it’s fantastic with seafood. Halibut with butter sauce. Things that have some fat to them.”

As for if orange wine should be served chilled or room temperature?

“It really depends on whether you are having it with food or not,” Gelert Hart said. “To better express the tannins we treat it like any good red wine, at room temperature. If they are being enjoyed on their own, they are really nice to have chilled.” 

However, the most important pairing for orange wine is curiosity and an open mind. The common thread between both wine experts and non-experts alike is that their introduction to orange wine provided a deeper insight into the world of wine. Winemakers saw the ancient practice as a stimulus to a new creative expression of their work. Everyday wine drinkers were invited into learning the process of winemaking in a way they may have never experienced before.

The post Orange Is the New White: The Rising Star of American Wine appeared first on All Roads North.

Left Coast Estate

Photo by Andrea Johnson

Willamette Valley, Oregon

In the heart of Oregon’s picturesque Willamette Valley, Left Coast Estate is a family-owned and operated vineyard, winery and working farm. At its core, Left Coast is guided by a deep connection with the land where they live and farm. The winery owes its name in part to its west coast geography, but also a playful nod to the fact that three out of five family members are left-handed. 

Photo by Laurel Dailey

From restoring a rare 70-acre old growth oak forest as a wildlife refuge to housing eight different hives of honey bees, the 490-acre estate stands as a testament to sustainable winemaking and environmental stewardship. Each family member contributes their gifts– from winemaking to creative direction to gardening– to carry on Left Coast’s earth-friendly, sustainable vision. For a truly authentic experience, we can arrange an intimate, vineyard dinner featuring seasonal food from the farm and local foragers– with a wine pairing, of course. Or a ride through the property in Left Coast’s 1950 Chevy vineyard truck and wine tasting among the vines. 

AniChe Cellars

Columbia Gorge, Washington

AniChe Cellars is in the business of “reinventing the tradition of women making wine.” With an incredible mother-daughter team of winemakers at the lead, this winery’s placement in Washington’s Columbia Gorge couldn’t be more stunningly scenic. AniChe’s beginnings trace back to 2008 when Rachael Horn embarked on a midlife adventure into winemaking, with a mere mason jar of change and unwavering support from friends and family. The winery’s name is a portmanteau combining the names of Rachel’s children, Anaïs and Che. The name reflects the heart of the business: it’s the passion project of family and friends. Perched on the slopes of Underwood Mountain, enjoy views of the Hood River and the Gorge from the tasting room while sampling their cleverly named wines, such as ‘Puck’ and ‘Three Witches.’

Adelsheim Vineyard

Willamette Valley, Oregon

Adelsheim Vineyard, the Chehalem Mountains’ first winery, was founded in the 1970’s by David and Ginny Adlesheim. Located in the Willamette Valley, the married couple was among the first ten or so founding families that gambled their savings on making wine in a place that most people had never heard of. Their faith and hard work was the first step toward the burgeoning wine hub that Willamette Valley is known as today. 

Adelsheim’s location in the more remote northern corner of the valley is still a rural paradise, with vineyards and wineries harmonizing with lush farmland and forested beauty. Adelsheim owns 200 acres, cultivating 175 acres of diverse estate sites on this scenic terrain. Whether high or low in elevation, volcanic or sedimentary soils, each of the winery’s sites contribute a unique aspect to their wine. Along the drive to the winery, don’t be surprised to see alpacas, horses, and goats that complete the bucolic idyll. 

Alton Wines

Alton Wines, Photo by Kevin Scott

Walla Walla, Washington

Alton Wine’s views are quintessentially Walla Walla—farms, vineyards, mountains, and endless skies. Even beyond aesthetics, the winery embodies the essence of this grape-centric region– one where vintners mingle with farmers, and wine emerges from grit and dedication. The winery is nestled in an existing cove of land, formed by the surrounding landscape and vineyards, that had been deemed unfarmable due to the soil makeup. The result is a sense of seclusion and tranquility with fields of vines surrounding the winery’s tasting room on three sides. The Alton Wines focus is on genuine experiences, not rehearsed stories or complex tasting notes. The notable architecture and design of the tasting room is a reflection of the winery’s ethos— a place where old meets new, elegance marries rustic, and luxury dances with carefree. 

Alton Wines

Pairs well with:

The Pacific Coast and Willamette Valley: From your starting point in Portland, you will find yourself in a city ringed by old growth fir forests, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient cliffs adorned with tumbling waterfalls, fertile farmland and vineyards, and hundreds of miles of undeveloped coast ripe for exploration. This luxury Oregon road trip provides an unmatched concentration of stunning, diverse Pacific Northwest landscapes enriched by unique adventures and connections with local producers.

The post Four Beautiful Pacific Northwest Wineries appeared first on All Roads North.

Three of our favorite wineries, Beltane Ranch, Flowers Winery and Belden Barns; are all boutique operations in the Sonoma area, run by tight-knit teams. These small batch productions are intimately connected to the land, and committed to sustainable farming. 

All Roads North spoke with the people behind them to share the joys and challenges of the harvest season at their properties:

Flowers Winery

Harvest Memories

Beltane Ranch has been in the hands of Lauren Benward’s family for six generations. Having grown up at the winery with her brother Alex, she has a lifetime of harvest memories to share.

“Harvest was always the most exciting time of year,” Benward said. “It’s the culmination of a year’s worth of work. It means long days getting dirty with a spirited team to bring in all the fruit. The smells, sounds and feels of harvest are unforgettable. It’s ripe, sticky, dusty and wonderful. My favorite is the spirit of the crew and the tacos when we are done.”

At Beltane, the harvest season usually begins in late August for the Sauvignon Blanc, then carries into September for the Rosé, and October for the reds. Alex leads harvest operations, picking everything at night to retain the quality of the grapes. 

Harvest at Beltane Ranch

“My kids get so excited they actually put themselves to bed early on harvest nights so they can get up and help,” Benward said. “A skilled group of men and women will pick through the night and then my brother will haul the fruit in multiple loads to the winery at sunrise. At the winery, we will watch it go to press or de-stem and taste the free run juice with our winemaker.”

Flowers Winery winemaker Chantal Forthun cites harvest time as one that intimately connects the team to the land.

“Rising to the challenge – literally climbing to elevations of 1,400-1,800 feet perched high above the fog line – our team enjoys the ultimate harvest payoff: a soaring view of the craggy coastline below, and beguiling maritime breezes wafting through the coastal forests,” Forthun said. “Standing amidst the elements in our estate vineyards, our winemaking team is viscerally connected to the birthplace of our coastal Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and inspired to craft a 2022 vintage reflective of time and place.”

The Challenges of Harvest Season

Belden Barns Harvest

Although certainly a celebratory and joyous time, the harvest season is also full of challenges and tough work. 

“Harvesting the extreme terroir of the Sonoma Coast is no small feat,” Chantal said of Flowers Winery. “The steep slopes of our estate vineyards require our team to farm every vine by hand. In blocks of our Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge vineyards, our team members are even required to wear soccer cleats to keep their footing…it’s wilderness winemaking.”

Nate Belden, co-founder of Belden Barns along with his wife Lauren Belden, spoke about the challenges of long work hours during the night.

“We pick in the middle of the night, often starting at 10pm or as late as 3am, and finishing as the sun is rising,” Belden said. “It is a crazy site that looks like a UFO landing, with a large light boom extended off the back of a tractor that pulls large bins. 

Belden Barns Night Harvest

We pick at night for a couple of reasons – One, all of our picking is done by hand. It’s easier on those of us doing the work to be in the cool of the night rather than the heat of the day. Two, we want to get our grapes into the winery in good condition. Cooler temperatures reduce unwanted microbial activity and the grapes are structurally in better shape when the vines have had a chance to recover from the heat of the day.  

This practice does take a toll on sleep and most of us laugh with hindsight later in the winter at those instances when our tempers were artificially short due to harvest sleep schedules. It’s a congenial industry and everyone knows at the end of the day that all intentions are pointed to creating amazing wines know matter how crabby we may have been at certain moments.”

Welcoming Guests

The Beltane Ranch sheep and their minder

Beltane Ranch prides itself on providing unique guest experiences at any time of the year, but the harvest provides extra special opportunities for visitors. 

“One of the most rewarding things about harvest time is that you can really taste the flavor profile of a wine at harvest time,” Benward said. “One of my favorite things is to take guests into the vineyard as harvest approaches and sample the grapes, test the sugar with a refractometer, taste them compared to previous vintages. We are super proud of shaping our wines in the vineyard and there is nothing like tasting them on the soil that grows them. I think it really makes for a deeper understanding of the fruit and the farming behind it.

Guests also love to visit the sheep who roam through our vineyard munching the weeds and fertilizing as they go. They are part of our regenerative farming that has allowed us to farm without spraying any kind of herbicide and build the health of our soil, vines and ecosystem. And they are adorable!”

Belden Barns Grape Stomp

Belden Barns invites guests into their harvest season with a special annual celebration.

“Our happiest memories during harvest usually come during our annual Grape Stomp,” Belden said. “This is a public event where visitors get out into the field to pick grapes and bring them back to dump into a large bin. Those that want to take their shoes off and stomp grapes with their bare feet. This is the one time during the season when we take time to reflect on all the work that leads up to harvest. Lauren and I give a speech of gratitude and take the ceremonial first plunge into the grapes and then ‘release the hounds’ for folks to have fun.”

Related Itinerary:

Sonoma and Mendocino – A Farm to Table Road Trip

This luxury food and wine vacation to Sonoma and Mendocino is a true ‘Farm to Table’ odyssey. Not only will you stay in style at award-winning boutique inns and enjoy mouth-watering culinary delights at some of California’s most highly regarded restaurants, but you’ll also harvest, forage and catch the fruits of the region yourself, as you spend time with local producers, ranchers, and chefs.

The post All Hands on Deck for Harvest Season in Sonoma appeared first on All Roads North.

A Legacy of Stories

Mary Ellen Pleasant

Beltane Ranch is a 105-acre winery, sustainable farm and historic inn set in the hills north of Sonoma Valley. Nested on a hillside overlooking valleys of oak trees, vineyards and open fields, the land is host to centuries of historic tales.

“The people before us left a legacy of stories,” Lauren Benward, Beltane Ranch Vice President and family member, said. “It doesn’t feel like just a plot land.. It feels like something bigger.”

Mary Ellen Pleasant was one of the first notable figures connected with the property. As a Black woman in the 1890’s, she defied all odds to become a wealthy power mogul, successful business owner and civil rights leader. Benward said she sued the San Francisco Streetcar Company for not letting black people ride in the 1870’s– a move that was ahead of her time. 

It was Pleasant who selected the site for the house that is today’s bed and breakfast at Beltane Ranch. Because of her, the inn is considered a historic landmark to this day. In the 1960’s, Benward’s grandmother had the house restored room by room with modern comforts, but most of the architectural detail remains.

“This was [Pleasant’s] vision,” Benward said. “The construction and architecture is inspired by her roots outside New Orleans and you can really feel that and experience that when you stay here.”

Six Generations of Family Ownership

After Mary Ellen Pleasant, there were a couple different families that owned the property before Benward’s family came into the picture. Lauren Benward’s great-great aunt and uncle bought the land during the Great Depression and, because they had no children, it was passed down through Benward’s great-grandmother’s family. 

The women in the family tended to run the show– each generation wielding their own talents and ideas to improve Beltane Ranch. Benward said her great-great aunt had a green thumb in the garden and a soft spot for the animals. Meanwhile, Benward’s grandmother, who was a single mom, had the vision to restore the house and open it as a bed and breakfast. And it was Benward’s mother who wanted to get back into the wine industry– an operation that had been in the area in the late 1800’s, but was on the back burner. 

While Benward and her brother Alex were growing up on the winery, their grandmother continued to run the inn while their mom oversaw the vineyards.

“We grew up always helping in the vineyard, gardening and serving people,” Benward said. “The crossover between agriculture and hospitality is what the property’s always been and what we know as a family.”

After spending their childhood at Beltane Ranch, both of the siblings felt they needed to stretch their wings. They left home for college, then for the beginning stages of their careers– gaining some outside experience and fresh perspective before deciding to return to Beltane Ranch.

Upon their return, Benward and her brother saw an opportunity for a new approach at the winery. They decided to create their own wine (rather than selling their grapes to other vintners) and have a hand in the winemaking process from soil to glass.

Regenerative and Small-Scale Farming 

Beltane Ranch follows a sustainable farming model– something that comes hand in hand with their respect for the land and its stories.

“You don’t really own this property or this story. It’s so much bigger than who we are, so we just get to play a role in stewarding it for the time being,” Benward said.

Benward said that their business shines best when they’re able to combine all three of the property’s elements: wine, food and hospitality. Guests enjoy food grown on property paired with the wine grown in their vineyard. The scraps may then go to compost for other crops or perhaps to feed the chickens that provide fresh eggs for the next meal. 

“What’s beautiful is how it’s all intertwined,” Benward said. “It really wouldn’t be the same if all the pieces, like dining and hospitality, were pulled apart. That’s a real focus for us… shortening the cycles and tying them together.”

Benward said the family took inspiration from a trip to Portugal and Morocco in 2019. In some of the ancient olive groves they visited, old world farming techniques were still very much at play; there were even some places where donkeys were being used for farming.

“There’s so much wisdom in age old farming- non commercial, nonindustrial, farming by hand,” Benward said. ”I’m really inspired by places that are doing things in the old world ways.”

As a small property, Beltane Ranch will never be able to compete with high-production, commercial wineries in terms of operations. Rather, where they excel is taking it slow. Honoring the sense of history and intrinsic value of the land. Paying individualized attention to each guest and to each crop of grapes. 

In fact, Benward said her favorite part of the job is creating new and unique ways for visitors to experience the property based on their interests. 

“For example, our group today was more focused on how we’re using the babydoll sheep for weed reduction in the vineyard,” Benward said. “We have this sweet baby lamb and they got to bottle feed the lamb. Then we tasted the wine from that vineyard block, that part of the vineyard where the sheep are. So we tie it all together.”

All photos courtesy of Beltane Ranch.

Itineraries

Let us plan your dream California wine country trip. For more inspiration, check out these sample itineraries:

Napa and Sonoma In Style

Couple’s California: A Refined Luxury Road Trip

Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm to Table Road Trip

The post Female Leadership and Regenerative Farming at Sonoma’s Beltane Ranch appeared first on All Roads North.

Donum

Richard Hudson – Love Me, 2016, Photo by Gregory Gorman

No list of the most beautiful wineries in California would be complete without the Donum Estate. The winery was born out of two of founder Anne Moller-Racke’s greatest passions: art and wine. The estate is filled with incredible art and sculptures by world-renowned artists such as Ai Wei Wei and Keith Haring, Richard Hudson, Zhan Wang and Yue Minjun. Strolling the picturesque vineyard of this famous California winery is sure to stoke your passion for both.

thedonumestate.com

Promontory

Promontory Winery, Photography by Olaf Beckmann and Matt Morris

Gorgeous natural views? Check. A sprawling, pastoral estate? Check. Warm, wooden interiors, inviting tasting spaces and the world-class wine to make it all worth it? Check, check and check. Nestled in wooded foothills with less than 10% of the land under vine, the rugged Promontory sits amongst rocky outcroppings secluded in the Oakville canyon. Enjoy one of Promontory’s famous Cabernet blends while gazing out at the rolling hills of Napa Valley that stretch out below you, and soak in the flavors of wine shaped by the whims of the land. 

promontory.wine

Fantesca

Fantesca Wine Cave

Fantesca may be best known for it’s superstar cult winemaker Heidi Barrett, but one thing visitors are sure to remember is the idyllic backdrop of their wine-tasting. Set atop a ridge line above the valley, Fantesca is quintessential Napa in private style. The rolling vineyards drop off to views of the nearby Napa hills, yet secluded atop the property you’ll feel in a world all to yourself. A tasting here, coupled with a visit to their iconic cliffside cellar, will stand as a highlight of any Napa Valley road trip.

fantesca.com

Kenzo Estate

Kenzo Estate

Only 150 of Kenzo Estate’s 3,800 acres are planted, protecting the serene natural elements of the undisturbed landscape surrounding the vineyard. Spring fed reservoirs, untouched forests, and roaming wildlife just beyond sight infuse the property with a sense of Yūgen, a Japanese concept on the profundity and subtlety of natural beauty. This Japanese sensibility is present all over the estate, founded by business mogul Kenzo Tsujimoto. With impeccable wine by Heidi Barrett, and the 1-star Michelin restaurant in downtown Napa, Tsujimoto spared no expense or effort to make Kenzo Estate one of the region’s best names in wine.

kenzoestate.com

Scribe

Scribe Winery, Photo by Stephanie Rudy

Brothers Andrew and Adam Mariani place a great emphasis on their Sonoma vineyard’s natural beauty. Scribe focuses on getting visitors out of the traditional tasting room and into the environment that produces their incredible wines. Tastes are held in the gardens and picnics are held beneath the boughs of trees, both with great views of the vines and palms that line the property. The brothers’ philosophy is a connection between people and place, and their wines the agent for that connective experience. With such an outstanding location, Scribe is certainly a place worth connecting to.

scribewinery.com

Flowers

Flowers Winery, Photo by Douglas Friedman

Flowers Winery embraces the beauty of the far west Sonoma Coast and creates wine with a true sense of place. Located less than two miles away from the Pacific Ocean, yet standing at high levels of elevation, the drastic contrasts of the Flowers location makes it more than scenically stunning… it’s also what impresses their wine with its unique character. The stark hillside exposures, fog-filled mornings and sunny days combine to create risky, yet rewarding, conditions for vineyards. The winery uses biodynamic and organic practices, working with the elements rather than against them. 

flowerswinery.com

Belden Barns

Belden Barns Estate, Photo by Adam Decker

This family-friendly, small-batch vineyard in the Sonoma Hills is the perfect spot for those who’d like to appreciate some outstanding wine without leaving the kids behind. Beyond the yearly excitement of the annual Grape Stomp event, there’s corn hole and even a scavenger hunt available for the kids (acorns and corks being a few items on the hunt list). The property, with its valley-wide vistas and 1870s-era agricultural buildings carries a sense of history. It’s been home to many different ventures, from a dairy farm to a prune orchard to a rural retreat with a stagecoach stop. Based on the belief that wine is best enjoyed with good food, Belden Barns has always closely partnered with Kibo Farm, a small, family farm that supplies many of the premier restaurants in the area.

beldenbarns.com

Itineraries

Let us plan your dream California wine country trip. For more inspiration, check out these sample itineraries:

Napa and Sonoma In Style

Couple’s California: A Refined Luxury Road Trip

Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm to Table Road Trip

For more luxury California road trip ideas, click here.

The post Seven Beautiful California Wineries appeared first on All Roads North.