# Fio Glou Glou Orange (2023)

- **Producer:** Weinmanufaktur Fio Weine
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc
- **Region:** Mosel, Germany
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 10.5%
- **Average price:** €18
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** orange, pear, peach, grapefruit, rose, herbaceous, bread, cream, hay, honey

## About this wine

Fio Weine is a collaborative winemaking project based in Piesport in Germany's Mosel region, established by renowned Portuguese winemaker Dirk Niepoort, his son Daniel, and local grower Philipp Kettern. The estate blends centuries of Mosel viticultural history with dynamic international expertise, placing a strong emphasis on patience, traditional oak fuder casks, and spontaneous fermentations. Glou Glou Orange was developed to create an accessible, light-footed, and highly refreshing entry into skin-contact wine, pairing aromatic Müller-Thurgau from steep slate slopes with textural Pinot Blanc from riverbank alluvial soils.

## Interesting facts

- The name FIO translates to thread in Portuguese, representing the family connection between Philipp Kettern in the Mosel and Dirk Niepoort in Portugal.
- The winemakers affectionately nickname this skin-contact white wine Orange Juice due to its vibrant fruit character and high drinkability.
- Sheep are grazed directly within the steep Mosel vineyards to manage weed growth naturally without using synthetic herbicides.

## Food pairing

The lively Mosel acidity and subtle skin-contact phenolics deliver vibrant freshness and gentle structure that cut through rich textures while complementing citrus-driven, aromatic, and savory dishes.

## Wine making process

The 2023 vintage is crafted from equal parts Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Blanc. Müller-Thurgau grapes are harvested from steep Mosel slate vineyards, while Pinot Blanc is grown on alluvial soils along the river plain. The grapes undergo gentle skin maceration and spontaneous alcoholic fermentation driven by wild yeasts. Fermentation takes place partially in stainless steel tanks (around 70%) and partially in traditional neutral oak fuder barrels from the mid-20th century. The wine rests on its full ferment lees for approximately ten months before being bottled unfiltered and naturally cloudy with minimal effective sulfur dioxide.