It glows in the glass like late-afternoon sun caught in amber — not white, not red, but something beautifully in between. At first glance, it looks like a contradiction. But take a sip, and you realize: it’s harmony.

This week’s Wine of the Week is the 2021 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla, a quietly profound expression of one of Italy’s oldest and most enigmatic white grapes — transformed through the lens of Napa Valley craftsmanship and curiosity.

Matthiasson Wines

Based in Napa Valley, Matthiasson Wines is a small, fiercely independent, family-run winery founded in 2003 by viticulturist Steve Matthiasson and sustainable food advocate Jill Klein Matthiasson. Together, they bring decades of experience in agriculture and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. Their winemaking philosophy treats wine as a natural extension of farming — grounded in organic and regenerative practices, and driven by a strong sense of place.

Whether it’s a familiar Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or a lesser know varieties like Ribolla Gialla, Refosco or Schiopettino, Matthiasson’s wines are crafted with purity, balance, and food-friendliness in mind. Moderate in alcohol and expressive in character, their wines reflect thoughtful, hands-on farming. Our independence allows us to farm organically, with no compromises in the vineyard or the winery, creating the beautiful wines for which we are known explains their website

How Ribolla Gialla Took Root in Napa

The story of Ribolla Gialla’s journey from Friuli to Napa begins with George Vare, a pioneering and endlessly curious Napa winemaker. In 2001, Vare planted the first Ribolla Gialla vines in California at his small vineyard at the foot of Mt. Veeder, using budwood he had painstakingly — and somewhat illicitly — brought back from Italy.

Two years later, in 2005, Steve Matthiasson joined Vare on a trip to Friuli, where they met winemakers who were reviving this ancient, indigenous variety and fermenting it in the traditional way — on the skins, like a red wine.

That experience proved transformative. As Steve later reflected, “Ribolla Gialla made me completely rethink what was possible with white wine.”

When Steve returned to Napa, he couldn’t shake the memory of those amber-hued, textural wines that had redefined what white wine could be. Still farming his friend George Vare’s vineyard, he decided to carry that inspiration forward — grafting 15-year-old Merlot vines in his own vineyard with Ribolla Gialla budwood sourced from Vare’s cuttings, continuing an experiment that had begun just a few miles — and a world — away.

What began as a curiosity became a calling — one that now connects the soils of Friuli and Napa through a shared reverence for tradition, texture, and discovery.

The Craft — Turning Grapes into Liquid Gold

Orange wine — or “skin-contact white” — is one of those rare winemaking styles that feels both ancient and avant-garde. Instead of pressing the grapes right away, as is typical for whites, the juice is fermented with the grape skins (as in red wine production). The result is a wine with golden or amber hue, subtle tannins, and layers of texture and flavor that challenge expectations.

For the 2021 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla, grapes were hand-harvested from their estate Ribolla Gialla block in Western Oak Knoll area of Napa Valley. The wine was fermented whole cluster with native yeast in an open-top tank using punchdowns. After two weeks the must was pressed, and the wine was aged for 18 months in neutral barrels. The wine aged sur lees and it was never racked. No SO2 was used until a tiny amount at bottling explains the Matthiasson website.  

It pours a golden orange color with red apple skin, pear, baking spice, clementine and nutty aromas. On the palate, it’s medium bodied structured and savory with mouthwatering acidity and subtle tannins with red apple, pear, dried apricot, baking spice and mixed citrus curd flavors. Long finish. 12% abv| SRP – $49|93 pts

What I love about orange wines — and this one in particular — is their versatility at the table. The texture, acidity, and gentle grip make them natural partners for a wide range of cuisines. We paired it one night with Gamberetto Rosso (shrimp in red sauce) and the next with Thai takeout — and it shined both times, adapting effortlessly to spice, sweetness, and savory depth.

Final Thoughts — A Toast to Curiosity

The 2021 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla is more than a wine — it’s a meditation on curiosity and craftsmanship. It bridges Friuli and Napa, white and red, past and present.

It reminds me that the most rewarding discoveries often happen when we linger in the in-between — where color, texture, and time converge into something truly golden.

Further Reading: Deep Dives into Skin-Contact & Orange Wines

If the glowing hue of this Ribolla Gialla sparks your curiosity, here are a few ENOFYLZ stories that illuminate the broader orange-wine universe — from demystifying the term to pairing skin-contact wines with global flavors.

Post / Title	What You’ll Discover
Wine Words Demystified: Orange Wine	A foundational explainer that unpacks what “orange wine” really means — from winemaking technique to historical roots.
A Cadre of California Skin-Contact Wines Paired with Ethnic Fare (#WinePW)	A flavor-driven exploration of California’s skin-contact wines and how they shine alongside vibrant, multicultural dishes.
Wine of the Week: 2020 Vazisubani Estate 3 Qvevri	A Georgian orange wine made in qvevri (clay amphora), offering a fascinating Old World counterpart to Matthiasson’s New World expression.

Each of these stories expands the conversation — proof that orange wine isn’t a fad, but a continuum connecting ancient methods and modern minds.