Fossil & Fawn "Lightwave" 2023

Lightwave is an orange wine for people who aren’t sure they like orange wine. Call it a baby orange or an intro orange. Made from half direct-pressed Chardonnay and half skin-macerated Muscat, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, the result is a tropical fruit explosion reminiscent of a juicy IPA with just a hint of phenolics lending a broad, mouthfilling texture.

The grapes are sourced from three sites in the Willamette Valley: Finnigan Hill (Chardonnay), Rizzo Vineyard (Muscat), and Tsai Vineyard (Pinot Blanc). It underwent a maceration on the skins (orange) lasting 4-6 weeks before the wine was blended and aged on lees for 11-months in stainless steel.

Fossil & Fawn started out as an idea in the summer of 2011, and quickly transformed into a much more complex and unbelievably rewarding venture. The winemakers aren't interested in bold manifestos or style declarations -- their goal is to make wines that they like. They’ve found that the kind of wines they like, and thus the wines they make, are executed with a natural approach that allows the vineyard to do the talking.