What Is Orange Wine?
Contrary to the name, orange wine is not wine made from oranges or some sort of citrus wine cocktail. It’s a type of white wine made by leaving the grape skins and seeds in contact with the juice, creating a deep orange-hued finished product.
To make orange wine, whole white grapes are crushed and then macerated (left to sit) with their skins and stems for as little as one week and up to one year – essentially making white wine in the same manner as red wine. Eventually, winemakers separate out the fermented juice, at which point they may age the wine further.
This is a natural process that uses little to no additives, sometimes not even yeast, and have led to orange wines being associated with the natural wine movement since their high levels of tannins mean that the wine can be bottled without the addition of sulfur dioxide.
What Does Orange Wine Taste Like?
These wines have been described as robust and bold, with honeyed aromas of jackfruit (a fleshy tropical fruit), hazelnut, brazil nut, bruised apple, wood varnish, linseed oil, juniper, sourdough, and dried orange rind.
On the palate, they’re big, dry, and even have tannin like a red wine with a sourness similar to fruit beer. Often Orange wines are so intense that you might want to make sure you’re sitting down when you first taste them.
Check out some of our favorites and pick up a bottle to see if orange is the new hue for you!
Recommended Orange Wines
Domaine Glinavos Paleokerisio Sparkling Orange Wine
Charonge Orange-Infused White Wine
Vie Di Romans Dessimis Pinot Grigio Orange Wine
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