The Vice is a producer of wines made with fruit grown throughout Napa Valley, and these days the operation has made a major funding in a specific class — orange wines, typically comprised of shocking grapes like albarino and viognier. We tasted two of The Vice’s 5 orange wines from the 2023 classic, together with a extra conventional bottling of cabernet sauvignon. Right here’s how they fared.
2023 The Vice Orange of Gewurztraminer “The Brooklynites” California – A curious mixture of fragrant gewurz and a candy rose, this wine blends notes of honeysuckle, apricots, and overripe peaches with a freshly perfumed character. A slight saltiness balances out what emerges as a considerably candy high quality — higher served solo on a scorching day than paired with a juicy purple snapper fillet off the grill — although both will work in a pinch. 11% abv. B / $35
2023 The Vice Orange of Viognier “Pickleball” Oak Knoll – I can’t say that something known as Pickleball goes to get me in the slightest degree excited, because the identify alone looks like pandering within the worst attainable manner. (Not like different Vice wines, the entrance label of this one simply says PICKLE BALL and nothing else. So…) The wine itself is quite innocent, a dialed-back shadow of viognier that strips it of a lot of its floral, fragrant core, forsaking a delicate, Tang-like mixture of oranges and apricots, that includes a basic orange wine-like balsamic edge that emerges because the end builds. Mild notes of honeysuckle present a quietly perfumed but surprisingly long-lived end. It’s an uncommon however at the very least attention-grabbing wine, although I’d by no means attempt to take pleasure in it wherever close to a pickleball paddle. B+ / $38
2022 The Vice Cabernet Sauvignon “The Home” Napa Valley – As simple a Napa cab as you’ll be able to think about, this spice-driven wine takes a core of cherries and a few raisins and layers in loads of add-ons: tea leaf, cola, touches of anise, and a dusting of floor cloves. Tannins are light and well-integrated, with sweeter parts rising towards the end. Gentle vanilla bean and milk chocolate dominate late within the recreation, although a rhubarb observe provides a delicate bitterness that retains any risk of overt sweetness at bay. Great things. Not a “vice” in any respect. A- / $36
2023 The Vice Orange of Gewurztraminer “The Brooklynites” California
$35
