This Summer Drink Pink With Ramato Wine #ItalianFWT

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This month’s Facebook group, Italian Food, Wine, Travel is celebrating ramato wines, a unique Italian wine. Check out my fellow bloggers’ posts on the topic at the bottom of this article.

The first time I had a ramato wine was in Austin, Texas, at one of those insanely hip bars that only Austin can pull off. When I asked the bartender about the selection of rosé wines by the glass, he casually remarked, “We have a Pinot Grigio rosé.”

“What?” I thought. “Pinot Grigio is a white wine grape. How can it make rosé, a wine made from red wine grapes?”

Well, if I knew then what I know now, I could have told that bartender a thing or two!

Ramato is actually an orange wine (also called amber or skin-contact), not a rosé. Ramato is produced after white wine grapes are pressed and the juice is left to rest for a while on the skins, gaining color in the process.

However I am willing to give the bartender some slack nonetheless, since many ramato wines are, in fact, a pinkish color.

Pinot Grigio is a grape that derives from a mutation of Pinot Noir, and due to its heritage, the skins are a pinkish-gray color. If the practically clear juice is left on its skins for several hours, or days, it gains color, often an orange-hued pink, and becomes what in Italy is called ramato, Italian for coppery.

In the Wine Enthusiast, Vicki Denig explains that Ramato wine’s origins are in Italy’s northeastern province of Fruili-Venezia Giula. “Ramato wines are produced by macerating Pinot Grigio grape must with its skins,” says Denig. “The skins’ pink hue give the wines color from a semi-pale pink to dark orange, depending on maceration time.”

Denig says that ramato wines are distinctive for their baking spice, dried fruit, tropical fruit and herbal aromas. “On the palate, they offer more dried fruit with stone fruit skins and spice,” says Denig. “The wines can display good structure and tannin, making them a match for diverse styles of cuisines and dishes.”

One thing to keep in mind when looking for this style of wine is that, outside of Italy, many producers simply label the wines “skin fermented.” I recently received a sample from a Sonoma winery, Two Shepherds 2020 Pinot Gris Skin Fermented, yet on the back label it’s referred to as “Ramato Style.”

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Thanks to its great quality wine, Two Shepherds winery is getting noticed by the wine media. Their 2019 skin fermented Pinot Gris was featured in the NY Times by Eric Asimov in 'The Polarizing Power of Orange Wine' and in Bloomberg by Elin McCoy as 'The Best 50 Wines under $50, 2019.'

Tasting Notes: Two Shepherds Pinot Gris Skin Fermented 2020

Dark orangey pink color, quite aromatic with notes of red berries. Very dry on the palate but with slightly candied strawberry and raspberry flavors. Medium bodied with a touch of tannic structure and hints of complex yeasty notes (from the skins) with a dash of salinity. Medium-plus acidity.

Food Pairing

This is a wine that would pair well with many foods, although I wouldn’t recommend it with very delicately flavored dishes. Chicken, pork, turkey, even hamburgers would all be great choices. Heartier fish like swordfish, salmon or bluefish would be excellent too. Anything with cheese in it or simply cheese alone would be a hit too.

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It was one of those nights where I wanted to prepare something quick and simple. On hand were quinoa, cherry tomatoes, and pesto that I had made the night before (using fresh basil, garlic and olive oil).

All it took was a quick 15-minutes on the stove with boiling water to cook the quinoa (you could substitute pasta as well), during which I sautéed the tomatoes, stirring in the chopped garlic during the last minute. After plating the quinoa, I topped it with the tomato mixture, a few dollops of pesto, and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Easy and delicious, especially with the Two Shepherds flavorful ramato style wine.

Check out my colleagues’ great articles about Ramato wine: