Beyond Red and White: The Allure of Orange Wine

By Andy Hale, CSW

If you’ve dined at an Asheville restaurant or wine bar recently, chances are a very hip server has suggested a glass of something called ‘orange wine.’ Or maybe you’ve seen bottles of murky, cloudy, amber-colored liquid in your local wine store and wondered, "What in the world is that?" Orange wine has exploded onto the scene lately, but what is it exactly? Is it safe to drink? How and when should you serve it? Is it really made from oranges? Don’t fret, Dear Reader—I’m here to guide you through the most misunderstood new category in the wine world. 

What is it?

No, it’s not made from oranges. It’s still made from grapes. When we talk about orange wine, we’re talking about skin contact with the juice. Fortunately, we’re not talking about human skin here—the winemaker isn’t skinny-dipping in the fermentation vats or anything. We’re talking about grape skins. If you’ve ever squished a grape between your fingers, you know that most grape juice is clear, even the red ones. The red tint in red wine actually comes from soaking the grape skins in the juice. This process leaches out the red color, tannins (that astringent sensation you get from a strong red wine), and complex flavors. It’s like making a cup of tea: the longer the tea bag stays in the water, the darker and more tannic the resulting tea. Grape juice with grape skins works the same way. Leave the red skins in the juice for a short time, and the juice turns pink instead of red—voilà, rosé.

Orange wine results from leaving white grape skins in contact with the juice for an extended period. There isn’t as much pigment in white grape skins, so the juice takes on an orangish color, ranging from golden to amber, depending on the time on the skins and the type of grape. This also extracts some tannins and other flavor compounds. Just like reds and whites, orange wines can vary a lot. Some can be tannic and astringent, like a cup of over-brewed herbal tea; some can be fruity and cheerful; and some can be tremendously funky, oxidized, and very unusual.

Is it new?

Although orange wine is the latest craze, it’s anything but new. In fact, it’s ancient. Humans have been making orange wine for about eight thousand years in the Caucasus region of Europe, mostly around modern-day Georgia—the former Soviet Republic, not the U.S. state with the peaches. There are also ancient traditions of making orange wine in northeastern Italy and Slovenia. These wines were popular until the mid-20th century, when winemakers switched to more modern methods, emulating the popular wines being made in France.

Orange wine didn’t really make a comeback until the late 20th century, when a few pioneering winemakers in Georgia, Italy, and Slovenia began to market orange wines to consumers looking for a unique experience. The natural wine movement played a big role in the resurgence of orange wine as well.

How and when should I drink them?

Serve your orange wine chilled, but not as cold as you’d typically serve a white wine. Getting it too cold can intensify the tannins and make it taste more bitter and astringent.

As for when, orange wines are extremely food-friendly! In fact, they want some food to accompany them—they generally aren’t as well received on their own. These aren’t really porch sipping wines. When pairing these with food, they are extremely versatile! Think salmon, roasted chicken, pizza, pasta, and even some red meat dishes that you might normally serve with a red.

Should I try an Orange Wine?

It depends. Orange wines taste very different from most other wines. Kind of like a sour beer or kombucha, your first orange wine experience is more about adjustment than immediate appreciation. It’s something you have to get used to. If you consider yourself someone who likes trying new things and is open to a different flavor experience, or if you’re bored with the same old wines you have been drinking and need something new to shake up your taste buds, then orange wine might be a good fit for you.

This is a great time to get some advice from your favorite wine dork on which one to try, since some of them can be extremely weird. Getting a recommendation can help you find a more approachable orange wine to break your taste buds in gently. You can always step up to a more unusual one next time, if you are feeling adventurous. Cheers to exploring the vibrant and exotic world of orange wine!

Andy Hale is a Certified Specialist of Wine and was a professional Sommelier in Charleston, SC until he moved to Asheville, NC. He is now the Wine Buyer and Education Director at Metro Wines.