Villa Noria, 'Amfòra', Clairette, France
Villa Noria, 'Amfòra', Clairette, France
An organic, low intervention, low sulphite, natural orange wine from the Pays-d’Hérault in Languedoc. Florality leads into pronounced notes of apple with some secondary light touches of red berries. Just the merest hint of the tannins that can so dominate other orange wines, along with an equally gentle touch of spice. A lovely orange wine for those wanting to explore the style.
Country - France
Region - Pays d'Hérault, Languedoc
Grape Varieties - Clairette, Piquepoul, Muscat
Alcohol by volume - 12%
Bottle - 75cl
Villa Noria was founded in 2010 by Fabien Gross and Cédric Arnaud and currently has around 80 hectares of vines across Languedoc, an hour’s drive from Montpellier. Champions of organic, low-intervention and carbon-zero winemaking - they’re every bit the modern winery. The Amfòra, on the other hand is every bit the ancient style of wine. Originating in what would later become Georgia some 8000 years ago, orange wine may be the original style of winemaking - taking the juice of white grapes and letting it ferment in its grape skins, leading to a far deeper shade of white wine than most people are used to.
Aged in amphoras (hence the name) the Amfòra is a great introduction to orange wines, with a far gentler level of tannins and spice than some orange wines can have and a great fruit driven profile. Opening with gentle florality, the wine develops into a lovely palate of quince, apple and pear. Serve gently chilled, great with roasted cuts like lamb or pork and broadly most styles of North African and Middle Eastern cuisine!