Have you ever seen wines in orange?
Some people call it orange wine, but it's not your typical liqueur like Cointreau, nor is it made from oranges. Instead, it's a type of wine made by fermenting white grapes with their skins for an extended period.
Regular white wine is typically made by pressing grapes immediately after harvesting, extracting the juice, and fermenting it. As a result, the finished liquid is naturally clear.
In contrast, orange wine is fermented with the grape skins, much like red wine. This process can result in a range of colors, from light orange to deep amber.
In recent years, due to the popularity of natural and organic wines, these orange wines have become increasingly common in wine shops and on dining tables.
Most orange wines are produced with minimal or no added sulfites, allowing the natural yeast on the grape skins to initiate fermentation. This makes them a favorite among organic wine enthusiasts.
Because orange wines are typically unclarified and unfiltered, the liquid can sometimes appear slightly hazy. However, it's essential to note that this haziness doesn't necessarily indicate spoilage; it's a characteristic of the style.
Orange wine can be traced back to some of the earliest winemaking practices in history. Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest traces of winemaking date back to around 6,000 years ago in Georgia, a country located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. In Georgia, people used clay vessels called "Qvevri" to produce orange wine. These clay vessels, coated with beeswax, are buried underground to maintain a constant temperature throughout the year, allowing the wine to ferment in the natural coolness of the earth.
Typically, non-aromatic grape varieties like Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay are chosen for making orange wine.
The most distinctive feature of orange wine is its stark contrast to conventional white wines in terms of flavor. Classic aromas include notes of sour citrus, honey, and nuts. There are also various unique flavors like minerals, soy sauce, and even durian that can make an appearance. Orange wines are generally not sweet; they have a more robust, rustic character, and you can feel the tannins on the palate, which come from the fermentation with grape skins. Yes, grape skins contain tannins too!
How to buy orange wine?
Orange wine is not subject to specific national regulations and can be produced in wine regions all around the world. However, when discussing the origin of orange wine, it must be noted that it can be traced back to Georgia. Notable producers in this region include Pheasant's Tears, Orgo, Alaverdi Monastery, and Tbilvino.
Other European regions known for orange wine production include Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northeastern Italy, home to winemakers like Bressan, Gravner, Edi Kante, and Radikon.
In southern Italy, Sicily boasts producers like Frank Cornelissen and Cos. Slovenia, situated near the eastern border of northeastern Italy, is also known for its abundant production of orange wine, a common alcoholic beverage in the local culture. Austria's Steiermark region is home to producers like Strohmeier, Werlitsch, and Maria & Sepp Muster.
Other countries where orange wine has gained popularity include regions such as South Africa's Swartland in the Western Cape, Australia, New York State in the United States, and France's Jura region, located to the east of Burgundy. In the Jura, they produce a wine similar to orange wine called "Vin Jaune," which pairs exceptionally well with the locally produced Comté cheese.
If you want to be the coolest kid at the next gathering, keep an eye out for these healthier orange wines!
