Division Wine Making Company 'L'Orange', Oregon

A vivid, aromatic introduction to skin-contact wine, 2025 Division Wine Making Company L'Orange layers several white varieties to build color, texture, and complexity without sacrificing freshness. Peach and citrus lead into orange blossom, savory thyme, and a distinctive touch of eucalyptus, while extended skin contact contributes gentle grip and a mineral, lightly phenolic texture. Each component is fermented and aged separately before blending, allowing Division to tailor the maceration to the character of each grape. The result is an expressive, pumpkin-hued orange wine that balances aromatic lift, savory complexity, and refreshing structure.

Product Details:

• Founders, Owners & Winemakers: Kate Norris and Thomas Monroe
• Cellar Master: Seth Gunning
• Grape Varieties: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Riesling
• Farming: Practicing organic
• Skin Contact: Individual varieties receive approximately 1 day to 1 month of skin contact
• Aging: Individual ferments aged separately in older barrels and stainless steel for approximately 8 months before blending
• Fining & Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered
• Sulfur: Very small addition before release
• Alcohol: 13.2%

Sensory Description:

Pumpkin-hued and highly aromatic, with fresh peach and orange blossom joined by blood-orange zest and citrus. Savory thyme provides an herbal counterpoint to the fruit, followed by a distinctive eucalyptus note that gives the wine an especially lifted character. Skin contact builds texture and gentle phenolic grip through the palate without overwhelming its freshness, while a mineral crunch defines the finish. Aromatic, savory and textural at once, it delivers the complexity associated with orange wine in an unusually approachable form.

Winemaker's Background:

Division Winemaking Company was founded in Portland in 2010 by Kate Norris and Thomas Monroe, who remain the winery's co-owners and co-winemakers. Their approach was shaped in part by time spent learning viticulture and winemaking in France, particularly in the Loire Valley, Beaujolais, and Burgundy, before they established Division in Oregon. From its urban winery in Portland, Division works with vineyards across the Pacific Northwest and a broad range of grape varieties, focusing on responsibly farmed, terroir-expressive sites with an emphasis on organic, regenerative and Biodynamic practices. Norris and Monroe favor minimal intervention in the cellar, seeking balance and drinkability while allowing individual varieties, vineyards and vintages to remain recognizable. L'Orange grew from their experience with skin-contact fermentation and their observation that different white varieties require different periods of maceration to capture desirable aromatics and texture. Rather than treating the blend as a single fermentation, they work with its components individually before layering them into the finished wine, using the contrast between aromatic and savory varieties to create complexity without sacrificing approachability. Cellar Master Seth Gunning, who joined Division in 2021, manages the winery's cellar operations alongside Norris and Monroe.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve lightly chilled. The combination of ripe stone fruit, citrus, savory herbs and skin-contact texture makes L'Orange particularly versatile with food. It pairs naturally with spicy Thai curries, charcuterie, pork belly bao, grilled octopus and warmly spiced dishes such as Moroccan tagines. Its aromatic character can meet assertive seasonings, while the wine's freshness and gentle phenolic structure provide enough grip for richer foods.