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2012 Centime - Skin Fermented Grenache Blanc

2012 Centime - Skin Fermented Grenache Blanc - View 2

Very limited!

For our upcoming July 16th vertical tasting at the winery, we are offering a limited number of these bottles which we have dug out of storage, after waiting years for this event. The wine is pristine, beautiful, and still youthful...we have consumed several to make sure!

Centime, France's original penny, is Two Shepherds' small annual production of skin fermented Rhone white wines, known as orange wine, because of the color the skin contact gives.

This is a special 1/2 barrel, 12 case lot, from the exact same lot as the regular 2012 Grenache Blanc, but vinified like a red wine, and very different flavor profile.

This wine was crushed and fermented on the skins for 12 days until dry, exactly like a red wine, then very lightly pressed by hand to a 30 gallon 1/2 neutral barrel, where it aged for 10 months.

Nice structure, minimal tannins for an "orange" wine with aromas and flavors of citrus peel and spice. Recommended serve with food. Also very fun to open this side by side with the regular Grenache Blanc for an eye opening experience of what extended skin contact does to a wine.

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Wine Specs

Vintage

2012

Varietal

Grenache Blanc - "orange" wine skin fermented

Appellation

Santa Ynez

Vineyard Designation

Saarloos Vineyard

Harvest Date

10/20/2012

Sugar

22.5 brix

Acid

.7 g/100ML

3.35

Aging

9 months neutral French oak

Fermentation

native yeast and ML

Alcohol %

13.4

Data Sheet

Wine Profile

Tasting Notes

Clear, with a slight orange, cantaloupe flesh color. Aromas of citrus peel, tangerine, and spice. On the palate, blood orange, grapefruit, citrus, spice cake. Fleshy texture mid palate. The finish lingers with spice and vibrant acidity. A complex wine, that changes over time as it opens, and will continue to develop in the bottle. Drink now or cellar 1-3 years. Best served with food.

Production Notes

2012 was the second year I made a commercial ‘orange’ skin contact wine. An ‘orange’ wine is a white wine that is vinified like a red wine. The grapes are crushed and then left to ferment on the skins, instead of being pressed off immediately. The time on the skins can impart a slight orange color, thus the name. It also imparts tannins from seed contact, as as well as texture and flavor. Orange wines are quite the rage right now in the wine geek sector, but many in my opinion, can be difficult to drink, often bitter and tannic. It was my goal to make an orange wine approachable and enjoyable by Rhône enthusiasts.

Winemaker Notes

‘Centime’ is French for penny, borrowing the idea of the copper color. This release Grenache Blanc (as opposed to the 2012 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne) on the skins for ten days, until primary fermentation, via native yeast, was complete. Once fermentation was complete, the wine was very lightly hand pressed into a 30 gallon (half size) neutral French oak barrel where it aged for 9 months.

Production

one half barrel, 12 cases.