Florèz Wines "Kind of Orange" Viognier 2023

This dry skin contact white wine made entirely from Viognier sourced inland in the Cienega Valley is naturally hazy with a rose gold color and boasts aromas of tropical fruit and mandarin. A soft, round body with a juicy palate of layered stone fruit and tropical flavors is supported by bright acidity and silky tannins that lead into a dry finish.

“Kind of Orange” is a riff on Miles Davis’ jazz album “Kind of Blue,” because this wine conveys a vibe.

The grapes were harvested by hand and fermented with native yeasts, with 25% whole cluster. Three weeks of maceration with skins was followed by six months in neutral French oak sur lie. No ameliorations, filtration or added sulfites.

Florèz Wines was started by James Jelks in 2017. James grew up in the Santa Cruz area and was schooled in winemaking at nearby UC Davis. He worked in wineries all over the world for 10 years before returning home to make wine in the Santa Cruz area. He dry-farms some vineyards himself, and sources some fruit from organic and sustainable vineyards. He always works with native yeasts, does not use additives except for a minimal amount of sulfur at bottling, and does not filter the wines.