Wine Of the Week: J.J. Amarguito Orange Fortified Wine

A fortified orange wine from Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe.

You could call this enchanting orange elixir a wine, or you could call it a spirit, but you’d only be partially right. This fortified citrus wine is a one-of-a-kind expression born in the Valle de Guadalupe. It’s made by winemaker Juan Cristobal Rubio Badán—the son of boundary-pushing Mexican winemaker Natalia Badán—and captures a winning snapshot of winter citrus. It’s made with a blend of different citrus fruit from around their farm and winery, then topped with a brandy made from local grapes. Slightly sweet and perfectly bitter, it’s packed with blooming aromas of orange rind and lemon oil. Sip it alone as you would an amaro, or chill and top with sparkling water for a sunny spring day spritz. $45

Kate Dingwall is a WSET-trained sommelier and spirits writer. Her work has appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.