Please The Palate | Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Giornata 2025 Orangotango, Paso Robles AVA

I first tried Giornata’s Orangotango a few years ago, and it was my introduction to the winery. Since then, I have enjoyed a number of their wines. This week, I picked up some Korean BBQ Beef for dinner and wanted a glass of wine. I didn’t want something big and bold; I didn’t want something crisp and fresh. I wanted something textured and subtle so I chilled a bottle of the 2025 Giornata Orangotango. It turned out to be exactly the right choice and that is why the Giornata 2025 Orangotango, Paso Robles AVA is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Giornata

Giornata is the Paso Robles winery founded by Stephy and Brian Terrizzi, who met while studying viticulture and enology at Fresno State. Their shared passion for Italian wines and winemaking traditions inspired them to focus on Italian grape varieties grown in California. Although they once considered moving to Italy to make wine, life led them to Paso Robles, where they established Giornata and built a reputation for food-friendly, expressive wines rooted in Italian varieties.

Orangotango is Giornata’s approachable take on a skin-contact (orange) wine, made from a blend of 50% Falanghina, 14% Vermentino, 12% Trebbiano, 10% Fiano, 9% Barbera, 5% Ribolla Gialla. Fermenting the grapes on their skins adds texture and structure while maintaining freshness. The wine is technically an “orange wine” but it was filtered before bottling, resulting in a wine that delivers the character of an orange wine without being too intense. It is a great entry point for anyone curious about the style.

Tasting Notes

The six white grapes used for the Orangotango wine were sourced from organically certified and organically farmed vineyards in Paso Robles. The grapes were natively fermented and macerated on their skins for between 12 hours to 4 months in 90% Macrobin and 10% stainless steel. Carbonic fermentation was applied to some of the tanks. The wine opens with aromatic notes of green tea, dried apricot, jasmine, and grapefruit. On the palate, it shows a soft texture with subtle tannins and bright acidity, giving the wine both lift and structure. The balance of aromatics and texture makes it engaging without feeling heavy.

Food Pairing

I opened this bottle with Korean BBQ ribs and bonchon sides, and it worked beautifully. The wine’s acidity and gentle tannins balanced the richness and spice of the dish while complementing the bold flavors. Skin-contact wines like Orangotango are particularly versatile with food, pairing well with dishes that have strong seasoning, fermented elements, or a bit of spice.

Where To Purchase

The Giornata 2025 Orangotango retail for $25 and can be purchased directly from Giornata Wines.

Meet The Winemaker

Meet Stephy Terrizzi and get to know her in 30 questions on the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast.

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