Sun Moon Rising "Scorpio" Skin Contact NV

Skin-contact wine, or “orange wine” as it is so often called, is as beloved as it is misunderstood. Many wine lovers think of orange wine as a recent trend, when in fact it is one of the oldest ways to make wine.

With very few exceptions, the juice of a grape is clear; it is contact with the skins that gives wine its color. The longer the juice remains in contact with the skins, the deeper and more pronounced the color becomes. This is most obvious with red grapes, which give us red wine and rosé, but historically, maceration on the skins was practiced with grapes of all colors. Today, when a winemaker allows the juice of white grapes to undergo extended skin contact, the result is an “orange” wine, which can range from pale yellow to deep amber, with every shade in between.

These wines can be time-consuming and labor-intensive to produce, and therefore often carry a higher price tag. That is why we are so excited to introduce a producer, brand new to the Chicago market, making a delicious skin-contact wine at an incredible value.
Sun Moon Rising began in New York State when Certified Sommelier Kate Webb decided to combine her love of astrology with her passion for wine. She partnered with sustainable vineyards to create the “Cosmic Collection,” a line of 12 wines, each representing one sign of the Zodiac.

“Scorpio” is a blend based on the hybrid grapes Vignoles, Cayuga, and Vidal, grown on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. The wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation followed by an 18-day maceration on the skins. After maceration, it is aged in neutral French barrels for four months before bottling.

This beautiful wine is reminiscent of white peach, orange peel, fresh grapefruit, and oyster shell. It would be absolutely lovely with a cheese plate, or simply enjoyed on a well-deserved Chicago spring day.