Let's Talk Orange Wine!

You may have heard of Orange wine. They are often the topic of conversation in both our home tastings and corporate wine tastings as well. What is it? And why are we talking about it?

Orange wine is a white wine made with skin contact. Generally speaking, once we press the grapes and extract juice for white wine, we do not have skin contact. The skins add color and texture to the wine. For Orange wine, much like rose, we have minimal skin contact. In some cases we even allow the wine to slightly oxidize. The result is a beautiful orange colored wine that ranges from bright orange to a deep burnt orange hue.

Flavor wise, these wines are much different than your tradition white wine. They have aromas of over ripe apple and nuttiness as opposed to fresh crisp green apple that we tend to smell in white wine without skin contact. And when you taste these wines, they feel distinctively different on your palate. They have a tannic feel, similar to what you experience with red wine. You may also taste the distinct nuttiness', and tartness. Some of these can be quite intense so proceed with caution.

Pair your Orange wine with bold flavors as they are much bolder than traditional white wines. Try them with Korean cuisine or Moroccan flavors. And don't be afraid to pair them with meat, same as you would with a red wine.

Custom wine tastings are a great way to try wines like this, without a commitment. Ask us to include orange wine or anything else you may be interested in trying at your next All Inclusive Tasting.