Pinard et Filles Frangine Orange Wine

Pinard et Filles has gained a cult following for its natural wines produced from its 7.5-hectare vineyard on the west shore of Lake Memphremagog in the Eastern Townships, Quebec. They follow a natural winemaking process, using only spontaneous yeasts for fermentation and no additives. This wine is 100% La Crescent. Never heard of it? Neither had I! It turns out La Crescent is a grape developed at the University of Minnesota through its “cold hardy” grape breeding program, which helps identify grape varieties that perform well in cold climates. In the case of La Crescent, the vine can survive temperatures as low as -36 degrees Celsius, which is very helpful in a place like Quebec, where winter temperatures can dip quite low. “Frangine” is an orange wine, with the grape juice and skins kept in contact for an extended period of time to help extract colour, flavour and texture. The wine was bottled without any fining or filtration, and is a great option for natural wine lovers or those adventurous clients looking to try something new! This will have a touch of tannin and structure thanks to the skin contact, and will combine funky/earthy notes with lovely citrus, orange peel, wildflowers, and more.