Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/369547
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m S e p t - O c t 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 3 5 Most wine- making proto- cols for white wine call for mini- mal skin contact. Grapes are usually pressed as whole clus- ters, or destemmed and pressed, shortly after arrival on the crush pad. Since many white wines are designed to be bright, refreshing and lighter bodied, and are often consumed relatively young, most white winemaking avoids skin contact to pre- vent the extraction of phenolic compounds present in the skins into the must. Phenolic compounds add mouthfeel and texture to wine, but can also cause the wine to seem bitter or astringent. In white wines, they can also lead to off-col- or production under oxidizing conditions, creating pink and orange hues in the wine, which is generally considered undesirable. However, the complexity and body that phenolic compounds contribute to white wine have intrigued winemakers and imbibers alike. Vintners producing an array of styles have experimented with skin con- tact ranging from short pre-fermentation macerations to skin contact throughout fermentation. These longer macerations have created white wines of exceptional texture and with significant tannin per- ception, and often have a distinguishable orange or pink color. These intriguing wines have gained a following and are often found on con- temporary wine lists under the categories "natural" or "orange" wines, and were inspired by producers emphasizing mini- mal intervention, low or no sulfur dioxide additions, traditional and non-mechanical winemaking methods, along with skin contact during white-wine fermentation. A cohort of producers in the Collio DOC in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy that borders Slovenia became propo- nents of this style, and such producers as Radikon and Gravner have inspired others to experiment with this style on an inter- national basis. COLLIO TO CALIFORNIA Ryme Cellars is a relatively new winery venture by the husband and wife team of Ryan and Megan Glaab, based in Healds- burg, Calif. Most of their wines are made from Italian varieties, and they produce their wines f r o m c o n s c i e n t i o u s l y farmed, organic or sustain- able vineyards using no cultured yeast, no tempera- ture control, no enzymes or other adulterants, and no fining or filtration. Many of the reds are fermented on the stems, and many of the whites are fermented on the skins. Before starting Ryme, Ryan Glaab was a wine enthusiast who became i n s p i r e d t o l e a r n m o r e about the winemaking pro- cess. He became curious a b o u t w h i t e w i n e s f e r- mented on the skins when he learned that red wines are fermented with skin contact, and thereby devel- op their qualities of color, flavor, tannin and texture. + There is a range of approaches for winemakers utilizing skin contact with white wines. + Methods include short mac- erations prior to fermenta- tion, skin contact throughout fermentation and extended maceration. + Skin contact contributes phenolic compounds that add mouthfeel and texture to wine. + Italian producers in Collio introduced "orange" wines to many enthusiasts. AT A GLANCE The Skins Game White wines gain flavor, texture, tannin via contact with skins Fermenting on the skins can give white wines an orange tinge. SOIL & CELLAR REMI COHEN