Orange Wine By The Liter At Trader Joe's

My wife recently laughed off my restaurant order of an orange wine with lunch. She said with a happy smile, "Orange? Is that for breakfast?" Well, it certainly could be, and if you want to swing that way I won't tell a soul. In fact, I'll join you. When the sommelier came around and asked how I liked it, I had to try to keep from gushing. But that was several orange wines ago.

This Côte Mas Orange 2025 is made by Paul Mas in France's Languedoc region. The Vin de France is composed of 55% Grenache Blanc, 25% Grenache Gris, and 20% Macabeo grapes. Alcohol sits at 13% abv and the liter bottle costs $10 at Trader Joe's. It's so good you'll be glad you're buying it by the liter.

This wine has a light orange color, owing to the skin contact with the white grapes from which it's made. The nose is almost all citrus, mainly tangerine and lemon, with some spice thrown in for good measure. The palate is a delight. Apricot, citrus, and a bit of fancy teabag flavors are in the mix. I notice the reviews for it are less than enthusiastic, but I'll stamp my foot in favor of it. 

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A White Blend From The Rhone Valley

I am so happy to have a white wine from the Rhône Valley to write about. I generally prefer whites, and the Rhône is my favorite region… in France, anyway. 

The 2022 Michel Chapoutier La Bernardine is a Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. La Bernardine is the name of the house in the middle of the vineyards. The wine is made from Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Clairette, and Roussanne grapes, which were vinified in oak and steel, while aging took place in stainless steel tanks. The alcohol content is 13.5% abv and the retail price is $65.

This wine has a beautiful golden color in the glass. Citrus, apricot, almonds and a floral note define the nose. The palate brings steely acidity and citrus flavors. The acidity is bracing, and the finish is long and delicious. Pair La Bernardine with white meats or seafood of any kind. It also goes nicely with a soft cheese.

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Too Late For Rosé? Never

It may be getting late in the year for some, but I'm still a rosé guy. I will be all year. The 2024 Le Rosé Ile de Conas is labelled as a Pays d'Oc IGP, which is largely the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France. Winemaker Paul Mas is renowned in the Languedoc for high quality wine. This is a special budget label he makes for Trader Joe's. 

The grapes are grown quite near the Mediterranean, 25% Grenache Gris, 25% Grenache Noir, 20% Caladoc, 15% Pinot Gris, and 15% Cinsault. I had to run to the internet to find out about the Caladoc grape. It is a red grape, a cross of Grenache and Malbec. It is usually employed in a blend to lend color and heft. Alcohol for Le Rosé Ile de Conas checks in at 12.5% abv and it cost $8 at Trader Joe's.

This wine has a light pink onion skin color. Its nose is full of strawberry aromas, stems and all, plus some cherry and herbal notes. The palate is full, more so than a typical French rosé. The red fruit is abundant, as are minerals, and the acidity is somewhat tame. Aperitif or poolside sipping would seem appropriate, but pairing with a fruit salad or vegetables is not outside the realm of the possible.

 

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A Bargain Orange Wine

Here is another bargain wine I spied when I was distracted while shopping for peanuts or chips. The Puppet is labeled as a Skin Contact Wine from the Central Coast, 2024 vintage. It "boasts the fragrance and elegance of a white wine with the texture, richness and depth of a red wine." The label offered a relative wealth of information, a nice surprise for a bargain wine. 

This array of grapes was fermented on the skins for 10 days, which is where the pink color originates. The grapes were grown in American Canyon, in southern Napa County. They are 33% Grenache Blanc, 25% Pinot Gris, 17% Pinot Blanc, 15% Chenin Blanc, 6.5% Grenache Gris, 2% Orange Muscat, and 1.5% Vermentino. That’s quite a roster, there. Alcohol hits only 11.5% abv and the cashier rang up $8 at Trader Joe's. 

The name, by the way, seems to come from the drawings of hand shadow puppets that adorn the label. It seems a curious way to catch the eye, but it worked.

This wine has a nice, rich color. It’s orange in copper kind of way. The nose is somewhat muted, but traces of cherry, lemon, tangerine, and peach are in there. The palate has a fresh acidity and centers the flavors on citrus minerality. It is a hearty rosé, and one that will pair nicely with a variety of meats and cheeses. 

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A Good Cigare Is A Wine

The Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Orange 2022 is labeled, unofficially, as "skin contact wine of the earth." The orange color comes from fermenting white wine grapes on their skins, which has become a fairly trendy trick for winemakers in recent years. 

The "le cigare" in the name refers to the French term for UFO. The back label tells an abbreviated version of the story about legislation put on the books in the Rhône Valley back in the 1950s. The law banned UFOs from landing in the vineyards. It appears to have worked.

This orange wine was made from 44.5% Grenache Blanc grapes, 25% Pinot Gris, 14% Grenache Gris, 9.5% Orange Muscat, and 7% Chenin Blanc, all grown in a handful of Central Coast vineyards. Le Cigare Orange is vegan friendly and gluten free, carries alcohol at 11.5% abv and cost about $12 at my neighborhood Whole Foods Market. 

This wine has a beautiful salmon orange color, quite brilliant. The nose displays the stone fruit and citrus one might expect from a white wine, but also a boatload of cherry and strawberry aromas. There is a lovely tangerine citrus note that comes after swirling the wine. Stone fruit dominates the palate, but with a considerable salinity over it, the kind of savory attraction for which winemaker Randall Grahm has made his calling card. 

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