2023 Ovum BIG SALT 'Orange Rosé'

50% Pinot Gris and 50% Skin-contact BIG SALT white (50% Riesling, 30% Gewürztraminer, 12% Early Muscat, 5% Pinot Blanc, 2% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% other). Planted in the mid 80’s, this Pinot gris sits atop Booth Hill, in Hood River, Oregon at just over 1500 feet in elevation. Pinot gris is destemmed into 1-ton fermenters where 5 gallons of skin contact Muscat and Gewurz are added to spur native fermentation. After two weeks of daily pumpovers, the wine has turned dark cranberry in color, at which point it is racked into neutral barrel with 50% Big Salt where ML fermentation finishes and the wine is aged on lees for 5-6 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered. 12.9% alc.

A wine that defies convention, the 2023 Ovum BIG SALT Orange Rosé is a wildly aromatic, texturally intriguing, and utterly captivating blend. True to its name, it delivers a saline, mineral-driven edge alongside its vibrant fruit and floral components.

A striking hazy, deep amber-pink hue, hinting at its skin-contact origins and natural winemaking approach. Intensely aromatic and exotic, bursting with notes of blood orange, dried apricot, hibiscus, wild strawberry, and bergamot tea, layered with hints of saline sea breeze, crushed herbs, and a touch of white pepper. This is where the wine truly shines—bright and electric, with a lively citrus zest acidity that keeps everything fresh and lifted. The extended skin contact imparts a subtle tannin grip, adding depth to the vibrant fruit profile of mandarin, peach skin, and pomegranate, with a savory undercurrent of tea leaves, ginger, and wild herbs. The finish is long, with a refreshing salinity and an almost umami-like complexity.

Founded by husband-and-wife duo John House and Ksenija Kostic in 2011,  Ovum is a celebration of the diverse expressions of Oregon Riesling. After years of learning the intricacies of the Willamette Valley while working together at Chehalem, John and Ksenija set off to further investigate the myriad terroirs of Oregon through the lens of Riesling, and now source fruit from through the state. They have found sites with blustery Pacific winds, extreme diurnal shifts, and rocky, well-draining soils.

To emphasize the idiosyncrasies of these vineyards, all of Ovum’s wines see the same practices in the cellar: natural fermentations, no additions or subtractions except for SO2, extended lees contact of 8-9 months – all in neutral barrels of acacia and oak, as well as Nomblot concrete eggs. The resulting wines are textured and concentrated, driven by minerality, and framed by unwavering acidity. Ovum’s work is among the most compelling white winemaking we have encountered in our search throughout the Pacific Northwest.