Region: California, USA
Grapes: Muscat Canelli, Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Torrontés, Verdelho, Alvarinho, Verdejo
Body: Medium
Notes: Apricot, tangerine, orange blossom, wildflower honey, white tea, gentle tannins, zippy tropical finish
Pairing: Middle Eastern mezze, roasted eggplant, spicy Thai curry, grilled vegetables, ratatouille, salty snacks
Wonderwerk (the "House of Fermentation") is the brainchild of high school best friends Issamu Kamide and Andrew Lardy. The project was famously inspired by a long night spent on a disco dancefloor in Los Angeles—specifically at a Despacio party—where the duo realized they wanted to create wines that captured that exact feeling of high-energy, communal euphoria. The name "Wonderwerk" is a nod to the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, which contains the earliest evidence of human cooking and communal fire; Issamu and Andrew view fermentation as a similarly ancient and social tool. "BIG ORANGE" is their "orange wine for the masses," bottled in a generous one-liter format. Each of the eight grape varieties is fermented separately on the skins for up to two weeks before being blended, resulting in a wine that is intentionally "crushable" and designed to bridge the gap between low-intervention winemaking and high-innovation flavor.
Region: California, USA
Grapes: Muscat Canelli, Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Torrontés, Verdelho, Alvarinho, Verdejo
Body: Medium
Notes: Apricot, tangerine, orange blossom, wildflower honey, white tea, gentle tannins, zippy tropical finish
Pairing: Middle Eastern mezze, roasted eggplant, spicy Thai curry, grilled vegetables, ratatouille, salty snacks
Wonderwerk (the "House of Fermentation") is the brainchild of high school best friends Issamu Kamide and Andrew Lardy. The project was famously inspired by a long night spent on a disco dancefloor in Los Angeles—specifically at a Despacio party—where the duo realized they wanted to create wines that captured that exact feeling of high-energy, communal euphoria. The name "Wonderwerk" is a nod to the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, which contains the earliest evidence of human cooking and communal fire; Issamu and Andrew view fermentation as a similarly ancient and social tool. "BIG ORANGE" is their "orange wine for the masses," bottled in a generous one-liter format. Each of the eight grape varieties is fermented separately on the skins for up to two weeks before being blended, resulting in a wine that is intentionally "crushable" and designed to bridge the gap between low-intervention winemaking and high-innovation flavor.
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from the winemaker, using organically or biodynamically grown grapes and without the addition of chemicals or additives such as sulfites. The result is a wine that is unique, expressive, and often has a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than conventional wines. Natural wine is also often associated with sustainable and ethical farming practices, making it a popular choice for those interested in environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.