insideKENT Magazine Issue 63 - June 2017 | Page 77

HYTHE IMPERIAL
HOTEL | SPA | GOLF
Princes Parade | Hythe | Kent | CT21 6AE
Orange Wines
BY MARTIN DEADMAN
Something new? Well, actually it is quite
old, aka, skin-contact wines. Made by small,
dedicated producers, their fame is spreading.
I love skin-contact wines! They offer something different in
terms of the experience of the wine. They can be wholesome
and nourishing, whilst unveiling textural complexity and
subtle tonal shifts.
Orange wines are named so because of their colour rather
than their contents. They are white wines made using the
same principles and methods as red wines. The skins are left
on, producing tannins and leaving the wine spicier, herbier
and drier than most.
Interestingly, if you taste the wines blind and at different
temperatures you may mistake them for red wines.
Skin-contact wines may be made in various ways. Some
growers will destem the grapes, whilst others prefer to use
whole bunches. Some vinify in a slow oxidative fashion,
others use carbonic maceration. Oak, clay or cement are
preferred mediums to ferment and age. Macerations may
range anywhere from three days to two years!
We stock quite a few orange wines here at The Bull and do
two by the glass for you to try.
Since 2007, Martin Deadman has transformed The Bull Hotel
in Wrotham into one of Kent’s most high-profile restaurants
with 2AA Rosettes and a listing in The Michelin Guide 2017.
The English restaurant menu or the authentic smokehouse bar
menu plus the 180-bottle wine list and the exclusive selection
of craft beers are definitely worth the trip to Wrotham.
Champagne Bar
at the Hythe Imperial
Champagne lovers are invited to recline in this
paradise of a bar, overlooking breathtaking views
of the seafront, whilst savouring a glass of
“the champagne of successand glamour since 1743”.
This Moët & Chandon Bar really is a treat,
and an absolute favourite with guests with a taste for
the finer things in life. If you’re peckish we also serve
a selection of delicious tapas paired with champagne.
The Bull Hotel, Bull Lane, Wrotham, Kent TN15 7RF
www.thebullhotel.com | 01732 789 800
Visit us or call to book a table on 01303 267 441
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