Orange Wine? Qué?

As Marissa Ross once stated, “People seem to either love “orange wine” or hate “orange wine” but also don’t seem to understand what “orange wine” is.” Well, what is it? Is it made from oranges? It is def not made from oranges and we’re here to help ya on your orange wine spiritual journey.

Orange wine is made from grapes, just like all of the wines that we know and love. The process of making orange wine is similar to that of making rose, but with white grapes. It’s also known as skin contact and amber wine. You’ll find out why in just a little bit, so get comfy.

Wine gets all of its color from the skins on the grapes. When making white wine, the skins are taken off before the winemaking process begins. This is so the wine's color is clear and crisp. But, with orange wine, you want that color to come through. So white grape skins get to hang out with the juice anywhere from a couple of days, to months at a time. This adds deeper color, more texture, flavor and oomph to the wine. Depending on how long the winemaker lets the skins Netflix and chill, the flavor will become more intense. So, it is up to the winemaker to control if they want something lighter or heavier in flavs and texture.

Wine has been made in this style for thousands of years. THOUSANDS! The story of orange wine began all the way back in around 6,000 BC in the country of Georgia, where they are still practicing this wine making technique to this day.

There are very different types of skin contact “orange” wines, so I wouldn’t rule it out until you try a few different ones. The taste profiles can range anywhere from burnt pineapple to blue cheese, or from honey to bruised apple. I know it sounds a little cray, but trust me, orange wines are your friend! Chill one up, sit back and enjoy.

You're welcome to browse our skin contact wines HERE!

By: Kirsten McLaren