S. nigra 2023
Marzae Sauvage wines are inspired by the edible flora & fauna of New England. S. nigra (elderflower), while hardly unique to New England, is one of the most iconic aromatic botanicals around. We figured it’s a natural fit for this wine meant to showcase fragrant and juicy cool climate white varieties through extended skin contact. This is the floral, stone-fruity sibling to our P. strobus with an electric zesty acidity.
Marzae Sauvage wines are inspired by the edible flora & fauna of New England. S. nigra (elderflower), while hardly unique to New England, is one of the most iconic aromatic botanicals around. We figured it’s a natural fit for this wine meant to showcase fragrant and juicy cool climate white varieties through extended skin contact. This is the floral, stone-fruity sibling to our P. strobus with an electric zesty acidity.
Marzae Sauvage wines are inspired by the edible flora & fauna of New England. S. nigra (elderflower), while hardly unique to New England, is one of the most iconic aromatic botanicals around. We figured it’s a natural fit for this wine meant to showcase fragrant and juicy cool climate white varieties through extended skin contact. This is the floral, stone-fruity sibling to our P. strobus with an electric zesty acidity.
ABV: 12.5%
Cases Produced: 144 (estimated)
Style: Orange Wine (Riesling is very light even with extended skin contact which is why it doesn’t look super “orange”)
Appearance: Deep Gold
Tasting notes: Apricot, peach tea, orange creamsicle, citrus blossom, peony, jasmine, marzipan, citrus zest
Ingredients: 50% Riesling, 21% Chardonnay, 19% La Crescent, 10% Aromella
Skin Contact: 54 days La Crescent & Aromella, 43 days Chardonnay, 21 days Riesling
Maturation Process: Primary fermentation took place in stainless steel (some Riesling was fermented separately from the cofermentation due to tank space). Following primary fermentation and racking, half was aged in concrete eggs for more oxidative aging (think the notes of tea and apricot) while the remainder was aged in stainless steel to preserve lighter aromatics (the floral elements). After three months, the tanks were re-blended and sulfited to .8ppm molecular sulfur.
Winemakers Notes: The idea for this wine was to emphasize the beautiful muscat-y aromatics we can get off cool climate white varieties with plenty of skin contact. La Crescent and Aromella were meant to be the star of the show here, but a terrible year for those varieties left us leaning heavily on Riesling & Chardonnay. What a happy accident though, because a petrol-y initial Riesling fermentation gave way to a beautiful perfume through the winter with a body playing up the benefits of all the grapes at play and resulting in a cool climate orange at its absolute best—and a true showcase of the 2023 vintage conditions.