Everything You Need To Know About Orange Wine, Explained

Many wine lovers may be unfamiliar with orange wine, so it’s easy to assume that it’s a new frontier in the industry. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. “There’s a deep, rich history with orange wine,” says Hueker. “Historically, it’s been made for thousands and thousands of years.”

In fact, orange wine can be dated back to 6,000 B.C.E in what is now the country of Georgia—a place widely believed to be the birthplace of winemaking. Vintners originally would collect grapes in large clay vessels, seal them with beeswax, then bury them underground.

But what makes them orange can be attributed to a process called maceration. On the most basic level, this means the grapes are fermented with their skins. This technique is so integral to making orange wine that many instead refer to the category as “skin-contact” wine.

“Think of an orange wine as white wine made in the red wine process,” says Hueker. Macerating is commonly used to make red wine in order to deepen the color and add more body. Orange wine uses this same technique with white wine grapes, but the skins just have less pigment. So instead of a deep red, the resulting wine is some shade of orange. By contrast, rosé is nearly the opposite. The wine gets its pink hue from red grapes that have minimal maceration.

Just like with any other type of wine, its taste will vary depending on many different factors. The varietal of the grape, the environment of the vineyard, and the winemaker’s individual style all can impact orange wine's flavor.

In general, orange wine tastes more similar to other types of white wine by nature of the grapes used. “A common baseline for orange wine is that it’s more floral, citrus-forward, and herbaceous,” says Heuker. “It typically leans more towards savory flavors than fruity and sweet.”

Naturally, one of the most important factors is how long the wine was in contact with the skin. Some orange wines are only macerated for a few hours, which lends a lighter, cleaner flavor and more subdued color. On the opposite end of the spectrum, other orange wines can be macerated for several months. These wines have a deep, intense hue that verges on amber. Flavor-wise, you can expect these types of orange wines to be more tannic and savory.

They’re not the same thing. It’s easy to conflate the two because of their growing popularity among younger drinkers. But not all natural wines are orange, and not all orange wines are natural. There are, however, processes and techniques that are shared by both. And it mostly comes down to the skins.

Beyond lending color and body to wine, grape skins also bring with them a unique flora of native yeast. The air we breathe is full of natural yeast that sticks to the surface of the grape and ultimately helps kickstart fermentation. Natural winemakers solely rely on this native yeast to make their wine. That's also true of some, but not all, orange wine producers.

“How does that impact the flavor?” you may ask. Think of it as the difference between a loaf of sourdough and a loaf of sliced sandwich bread. The commercial yeasts used to make your average loaf of bread and wine have just one type of yeast, while there are hundreds of strains floating around in the air.

This combination of yeast makes for a less consistent loaf of bread or bottle of wine, but the resulting flavor is much more complex. With more experimental styles of orange wine, that can often include a fermented, almost kombucha-like funk. That’s why many lump orange wine into the natural wine category—but it’s not accurate to say all orange wine tastes that way.

“It’s a big misconception in the wine world,” Hueker says. “There are more traditional wines that don’t necessarily have that funkiness you can often find in the natural wine movement.”

Since it’s technically a white wine, a safe bet is to keep it slightly chilled. But no surprise here: it also depends on how much skin contact it had.

Lightly tinted orange wines can stand up to cooler temperatures of around 55°. Deeper, more intense oranges that have more body should instead be kept slightly warmer. The tannins from the skin are slightly astringent and can become almost unpleasant when cold. So if your orange wine is on the darker side, try enjoying it slightly below room temperature (around 65°).

As for pairing it with food, orange wines are super versatile. “You can go a lot bolder,” says Hueker. “You can pair them with curries, spices, grilled meats, and even strong cheeses.”

They’re also a great beverage to sip before starting a meal or while transitioning from dinner to dessert. “It’s great for when you’re coming off of a red wine but don’t want to immediately go to something citrusy and acidic,” Hueker says.

Ready to pick up a bottle for yourself? We're here to help! There are so many wine regions that specialize in orange wine that are worth exploring. Here are some of our favorite spots: