Albariño Skin Contact

Learn More About This Wine

Peninsula Skin Contact is an orange wine that explores the complexity and nuances of long macerations of white grapes on their skins. They love well-made orange wines and believe in the relevance of the category, beyond current fashion. Spain and Castile, in particular, have a long tradition of skin contact whites, which we think deserves to be explored and updated. 

The wine is made from a single, experimental parcel of Albarino, grown organically in the estate in Cuenca. The climate is dry and very continental. An altitude of 700-800 m leads to a wide daily temperature range and cool nights, helping the Albarino to develop remarkable aromatic intensity early in the ripening cycle. This allows them to pick it early, with moderate potential alcohol and preserving its naturally high acidity. 

The grapes are destemmed and fermented in a small stainless-steel tank and then kept on the skins for as long as the winemaking team considers the maceration necessary to add to the complexity and texture. 

The wine needed no fining and was stabilized naturally by chilling and gravity. Skin contact creates a protective, reductive environment, allowing them to limit sulphur dioxide use to only one minimum addition prior to bottling, taking the total SO2 level to only 20 ppm. A light filtration before bottling contributes to the purity of aromas, prevents future spoilage and will allow the wine to develop beautifully in bottle for several years. 

The aroma is very complex and grows in the glass, combining primary stone fruit with orange peel, grapefruit and ginger. A very versatile and gastronomic wine which combines lightness and the varieties mouthwatering freshness on the palate with the textural depth from the skins. The finish is remarkably long and satisfyingly dry, underscored by a firm but fine tannic grip.