Orange wine is a white wine made with extended contact between the juice and grape skins during fermentation or maceration. This technique is similar to the skin contact used in red-wine production, but it is applied to white grapes. The resulting wine may have an amber, copper or deep golden colour and can show tannin, texture and savoury flavours.
White grapes are crushed or left as whole bunches, then fermented with their skins and sometimes stems for a period ranging from days to months. The length of maceration, temperature, vessel and pressing method influence colour, tannin and flavour. Some wines are aged in clay amphorae, concrete, stainless steel or oak.
Orange wine can be made from many white varieties, including Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. Skin-contact white-wine traditions are strongly associated with Georgia, while modern examples are produced in Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Slovenia, Austria and many other regions.
Orange wines may show dried citrus, apricot, tea, nuts, herbs, honey, spice and savoury notes. Skin contact can extract phenolic compounds and tannin, giving the wine more grip than a conventional white wine. Styles range from fresh and lightly textured to deeply amber, tannic and oxidative.
Orange wine can pair with roasted vegetables, mushrooms, poultry, pork, fermented foods, spice-rich dishes and stronger cheeses. Its texture and tannin can work with foods that might overwhelm a delicate white wine.
Example: serve a skin-contact Pinot Gris with roasted squash, mushrooms or spiced poultry.
Chef’s note: orange wine is not made from oranges and is not necessarily sweet or oxidised. It is a white wine made with skin contact.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
