What is orange wine?
Like rosés, orange wines lie somewhere between white and red wines in colour. It’s easiest to think of them as being white wines that have taken on a deeper colour. Some are only a little darker than a ripe Chardonnay, some are a strikingly deep orange.
They typically combine the taste profile of a rich white with the texture of a red. But to really understand what orange wine is, you need to know how it is made.
How is orange wine made?
As you probably know, wines get their colour from the skins of the grapes, not the juice. Rosé wines are made by fermenting red grapes but with minimal skin contact, so that only a little of the colour is extracted. Instead of red you get pink. Flip that around and ferment white grapes with extended skin contact, and what do you get? A white wine that’s much deeper in colour. In other words, an orange wine. Amazing no-one thought of that before. Oh wait ..
Yes, but what does orange wine actually taste like?
Hmm. That’s a bit like asking, ‘what does white wine taste like?’. No two are the same. But, broadly speaking, orange wine is a richer, bolder, more tannic cousin to white. Typical flavours include apricot and peach, as well as orange zest, and honey. Some have ‘funky’ aromas of nail varnish, or wet dog, some are fruity and fresh, with a nutty complexity and velvet tannins. And everything in between.
Funky? So, are these, like, weird tasting ‘natural’ wines?
Yes. No. Erm, maybe? Being fairly niche, orange wines are often made with natural methods, like wild yeasts and minimal sulphur. And that can lead to some ‘out there’ flavours. But their signature amber colour simply comes from leaving the juice sitting on the skins during fermentation. With careful winemaking, they don’t need to be weird at all.
Sounds safe enough. Should I try it?
If you’re comfortable trying new things, you should definitely give orange wines a go. In the cooler months, they make a great alternative to whites when you want something warming but don’t fancy a red. In the summer, they’re great for picnics, camping trips or festivals, as you don’t need to keep them too chilled to enjoy them at their best.
But where should I start with orange wine?
Funny you should ask. If you take my advice, you’ll go with an orange wine that’s different enough to give you a new experience, but not so ‘out there’ that you’ll be left wondering whether it’s really wine at all. And the good news is, that’s exactly the style we look for when choosing which bottles to include in our orange wines range.
What are the do’s and don’ts of orange wine?
DO: Serve at a cool room temperature (12 – 14°C), with barbecued foods or middle Eastern salads. Orange wine also works a treat with rich sauced fish and white meat dishes – and can even match the flavours of fatty red meats like roast lamb.
DON’T: Ask whether it’s made from oranges.
