Slavcek, Vipavska Dolina (Slovenia) Sivi Pinot 2019

 Sivi Pinot is the Slovenian term for Pinot Grigio, but here it has been macerated on the skins for 24 hours, which gives the wine an ashen orange color like the late afternoon sun in March.  Orange wine has been around for centuries — it has been produced in the republic of Georgia for thousands of years and more recently made in Italy, Slovenia, and even New York.  The nose provides notes of dried peach, white pepper, and citrus that carry over to the palate.  It has the liveliness and acidity of white wine while retaining some of the tannin and body of red wine.  This crowd-pleaser is the perfect crossover point from rosé to orange wine as it is not as intensely powerful as some skin-contact wines.