Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Gérard Bertrand – Orange Gold – 2023
Vin de France – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A thoughtfully crafted orange wine made from a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Grenache Blanc, 15% Viognier, 10% Muscat, and 5% Gewürztraminer. This is a cerebral, texture-driven expression that leans into aromatic intensity and phenolic structure rather than immediate approachability.

Aromas & Flavors
Honeysuckle, ripe peach, and orange peel lead the profile, followed by roasted almonds and subtle spice. A gentle grapefruit-like bitterness adds lift, while floral and exotic notes from Muscat and Gewürztraminer bring complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a distinctive textured grip. Light tannic astringency from skin contact gives structure, balanced by fresh acidity. The interplay between softness and phenolic tension keeps the palate engaged throughout.

Food Pairings
Glass noodles with vegetables and shrimp, Mediterranean dishes, roasted poultry, spiced cuisine, or dishes with umami depth. A strong performer at the table.

Verdict
A fascinating and layered orange wine that rewards attention. This wine can be an acquired taste when enjoyed on its own, but truly shines when paired with food. A true “thinking wine.”

Did You Know?
Orange wines are made by fermenting white grapes with their skins, similar to red wine production, extracting tannins, color, and structure rarely found in traditional white wines.

🍷 Personal Pick
A wine that keeps your brain really busy, in the best way. Pair it with food and it absolutely shines. — 25 days ago

Jason Phillips

8.9

Decent nose. Ruby color. Smooth on the palate but not bold. Lots of resources fruit. Merlot 37%, Syrah 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 12%, Caladoc 11%, Grenache Noir 4%, Mourvedre 3%, and Carignan 3%. — 3 months ago

James O’Donohoe

9.0

Juicy and refreshing, chill it, gives watermelon and red cherry notes. It’s delicious — 4 months ago

Dave

9.0

Another fine value from Cahors. This has a bit more oak than last night's offering, but tastes more Malbec-y. Leans towards New World. Medium tannins, acidity in place. Enjoyable.
Listening to Gram Parsons — 20 days ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

Loads of fruit at this point. Slightly disjointed. — 3 months ago

with Eli and Jason

Ryan

8.9

Delicious. Sweet. Lovely bottle. Great color — 4 months ago

Seth Masterson

9.0

Bargain Montrachet
Notes of toast and curd. +++
Kind of a chalky mouthfeel. --
Short finish. Leaves a strange coating in your mouth ---
I was hoping for more complexity. — a month ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Banger. 07 Charmes, from 100+ year old vines right across from Chambertin, is a fabulous rendition in this vintage, seductive and complex wafting a dark fruited and gamey bouquet laced with violets and black tea. The palate is superbly concentrated, detailed and impeccably balanced with a finish that keeps on going. A particularly youthful ‘07 Grand Cru red burg. Long life ahead! — a month ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

Silky and mysterious but a bit closed. — 4 months ago

with Doug and Eli

GaryWEdwards

9.2

Nice lemon zest wrapped in florals . For the oysters — 6 months ago