SYLTBAR Ramato could be your next obsession

Jun 28, 2020by SYLTBAR Team

There is a new wonderful wine called Ramato which today is also in the focus among US wine consumers. It’s beautiful smooth taste and color which we describe as Copper or in between Orange and Pink makes it very different from traditional wines. If you've heard of Orange Wines, that's a Ramato!

A History of the Ramato (Orange Wine)

While Pinot Grigio has a distinctively Italian style, the grape originally hails from France, where it is called Pinot Gris, and is thought to have been introduced to Italy in the mid-19th century. Eventually, the wine found success in the Northeastern regions spanning Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige.

“Ramato is a historical style of producing Pinot Grigio in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region of Italy, where Pinot Grigio has been grown for hundreds of years,” shares Anna Brisotto of the San Simone Vineyard.

Traditionally, the wines that exhibited color were derived from contact with Pinot Grigio’s pigmented skins. ‘It was made in this style up until the 1960’s, when producer Santa Margherita began exporting Pinot Grigio in the style most consumers are familiar with today,’ said Henry Davar, Italian wine expert and educator. This new dry, untinted style became one of Italy’s biggest wine exports.

But some Friulian wine producers continued to make Ramato, retaining the wine’s historical relevance to the region. And, while Ramato is inextricably tied to Friuli, the style is also made in other parts of Italy and has recently emerged in the new world.

SYLTBAR Junior - Ramato - Orange Wine

We name our SYLTBAR Ramato “Junior” also because of the outstanding bold and shorter bottle shape. It is produced in the Northeastern province of Friuli by our producer San Simone. They macerate Pinot Grigio grape must with its skins. The color differs from dark Organge to Pink depending on the maceration time of the grapes. Ramato is well known for its very herbal aromas and notes of tropical dried fruits.

Antonio the San Simone winemaker and producer of SYLTBAR Ramato “Junior” says the following about it:

“We produce a clear, bright wine with the characteristic Copper color, with an intense and persistent nose that ranges from red currant and raspberries to notes of apricot, roses and pomegranate. Our method used for vinification of Pinot Grigio grapes for Pinot Grigio Ramato is very “traditional”: the must remains in contact with the skins for 14 hours, enriching the wine with a very particular copper color, gradually releasing the organoleptic and chromatic properties that characterize it. It is followed by a refinement in steel for 4 months followed by a further 3 months in the bottle. The palate is nicely balanced with a remarkable smoothness and a slightly tannic finish.”

The SYLTBAR Ramato “Junior” is excellent as an aperitif, it goes perfectly with fried dishes, fish-based starters and white meats. And it is naturally produced like all other SYLTBAR wines.

Today Ramato can also be found in parts of Long Island, New York, California and Oregon in the US but the soil there is so much of a difference compared to Italy where the Friuli region is surrounded by the mountains and the ocean. That is why especially the White Wines from that area are known worldwide its high quality level. The taste of it can also be described as very fruity, clean and clear.

How is Ramato different from rosé wines ?

When Pinot Grigio grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to spend time with the juice, a teasing, tactile texture and coppery hue results in a distinct wine style called Ramato. The word is the Itanlian translation of the color ‘Copper’ or 'Aubrun'.

Rosé and orange wines can also exhibit colors that range from light blush to salmon and deep amber, as a result of skin contact. But color alone cannot determine the wine style. What distinguishes Ramato from a Rosé or Orange Wine is that Ramato is a product of historical winemaking style from Friuli, Italy, made with Pinot Grigio grapes.

Rosés are made from a number of black grapes and orange wines are made from white grapes throughout the world.

SYLTBAR Junior is the traditionally Pinot Grigio made in the 70's style by leaving the Skin on for one night to macerate. This is not only changing the color which becomes apricot but also the wine has more character than the Pinot Grigio we are used to. Much more decisive and evolved aromatic notes in a young wine what is very unusual. If you were the one who said, I don’t like Pinot Grigio than you should try out Junior.

This original Pinot Grigio is very soft and velvety with low acidity and full - bodied. Serve at 50-53.6 °F.