Orange You Glad We Said Skin Contact?

Skin-contact wines offer some of the most interesting, thought-provoking drinking experiences on the planet—that being said, not all orange wines are created equal. Here at Windmill, we hold our skin-contact wines to the same standard we do across the board, meaning they must be well balanced, responsibly made, and of course, super tasty to drink.

This week, we're excited to announce the return of Sanctum Leptir, one of our favorite orange wines, to the shop. Produced from a 50/40/10 blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, this Slovenian gem comes from high-altitude, dry-farmed vines rooted in marl, clay, and sandy soils.

For Leptir, all grapes are hand harvested and processed separately. The Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris spontaneously ferment in open-top vessels and see 14-21 days of skin contact prior to aging in Slovenian oak barrels. The Chardonnay is whole-bunch pressed and fermented with native yeasts in a combination of Slovenian and French oak. After 10 months, all three varieties are blended in stainless steel tanks and bottled without filtration.

On the palate, fruit-driven flavors of dried apricots, wildflowers, spicy pear, black tea, and orange marmalade lead to a honeyed, savory finish. The tannin presence is bright and non-aggressive, rendering this a great intro to the orange wine category without being overly funky. Pair with grilled poultry, Mediterranean-inspired mezze, curry dishes, or a variety of hard cheeses.

Cheers!