Franchere 'Fast Hearts' 2023, Willamette Valley, Oregon

REGION 
Willamette Valley, Oregon

  

VARIETAL
75% Pinot Gris, 15% Chardonnay, 5% Riesling & 5% Gewürztraminer

 

TASTING NOTES

My newest orange wine leans into key Alsatian varieties, with an assemblage of 75% Pinot gris, 15% Chardonnay, 5% Gewürztraminer, and 5% Riesling. The average time on the skins was 10 days, and the wine then completed fermentation and aging in neutral French oak. All told, the wine spent 9 months on fine lees before bottling – unfined and unfiltered.

This is a super clean orange wine; I wouldn’t describe it as “funky.” Wild strawberries and rose petals on the nose, super juicy on the palate, lovely texture, medium length. It’s exquisitely balanced, neither soft not super-tangy, and you might even describe this as a crowd pleaser. There are tannins here, but they are cloaked in favor of fruit expression. As with most orange wines, drink cool, but not cold. Pop it in the fridge maybe 30 minutes before pouring, and enjoy. -Winemaker's Notes

 

93pts - Wine Enthusiast

"Bestill my heart. Here is an orange wine that is pure of fruit heart and doesn't have the tannic structure of a leather boot. Fast Hearts is an Alsatian-inspired blend of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling that opens with aromas of nectarines, strawberries and lilacs. Gentle acidity, silky tannins and a slippery mouthfeel frame flavors like pink grapefruit, saline and sweet red cherries. Just outstanding."

 

(Organic & Low Sulfites)